


Above All Else

by shesimperfect_butshetries



Series: Something Worth Saving [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Drama, Established Relationship, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Major Character Injury, Pregnancy, Season Rewrite, Season/Series 06, episode rewrite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-04-08 08:31:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 34
Words: 66,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14101470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shesimperfect_butshetries/pseuds/shesimperfect_butshetries
Summary: A different take on episode 6x14: When Rene is pointing his gun at Felicity he shoots, but Oliver jumps in front of her.This story is an alternate ending for season 6, beginning part way through 6x14 in which Diaz is a more intimidating villain and Oliver doesn't make that stupid deal.





	1. Chapter 1

“Are you crazy?” Rene shouts as he hesitates on the trigger. It’s at that moment that Oliver notices that his wife – his WIFE – has stepped between Rene’s loaded gun and Quentin and Thea. And while one of the things he admires most about Felicity is her bravery and steadfast loyalty, he’s never been more terrified in his life. Rene is a loose cannon, not quite himself these days, and Oliver has no idea what he might do. So, he gives Curtis one more swift kick to keep him down, fires a sonic-dampening arrow at Dinah, who is too focused on Digg to notice, and trains his bow on Rene.

“Put it down, Rene,” Oliver all but growls, but Rene is focused on Felicity where she stands her ground. “Felicity recruited you, she took you in, she believed in you, she convinced _me_ to believe in you, and this is how you repay her? She’s unarmed Rene. We may have our differences, but firing at civilians has never been part of either of our plans.”

“She ain’t no civilian, Hoss,” Rene shoots back with that ignorant arrogance he’s been sporting lately, “but she’s about to be a casualty of war if she doesn’t get out of my line of fire.”

Oliver’s vision turns red at that – how dare he threaten Felicity with Oliver standing right there.

Despite his fury, Oliver knows shooting Rene is too risky. His finger is already on the trigger and one wrong move could mean a bullet flying towards his wife. He lowers his bow slowly, hands up in surrender, “Rene please, _please_. You’ve done what you came here to do. You know Black Siren is alive and injured, you’ve put John back on the disabled list. Now your teammates are injured and there’s nothing more to do than take them back and patch them up. Live to fight another day, man.”

“Easy for you to say,” Rene spits back eyes still locked on Felicity, “you’re the one coming out of this with a win.”

“If you think having to protect a known criminal from people I once considered to be my friends and watch while those friends injure my best friend and aim a gun at my sister and my wife is a win, you know less about me than I thought.” This time Oliver’s voice is so low it is actually a growl.

He sees the turmoil in Rene’s eyes and just when he thinks he’s finally gotten through to him, it happens. John finally gets back in an upright position and moves without thinking to assist Quentin and Thea. That movement catches Rene’s eye and before anyone knows what is happening the sound of a gunshot echoes between the trees surrounding them.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------

When she stepped in front of the barrel of Rene’s gun, Felicity truly wasn’t thinking. The instinct to protect – always there, but more prevalent after years by Oliver’s side – just kicked in and before she knew it, she was in the middle of a standoff between her husband and her ex-teammate.

Despite the unfortunate nature of her current predicament, Felicity can’t help the pride that swells in her chest as she watches Oliver. 6 years ago he would’ve shot first and asked questions later and the sheer anger he would have felt from seeing Rene’s gun pointed at the love of his life would have resulted in nothing less than Rene’s head. Instead, here is Oliver – husband, leader, mentor – trying to talk Rene down gently, offering to let him leave and take care of their other ex-teammates instead of using violence as the only option.

She knows he wants nothing more than for her to just step out of the way, but she is also aware that she wouldn’t be the woman he fell in love with if she took the safe and easy way out. So, Felicity stands her ground and watches in awe as the bitter arrogance on Rene’s face slowly fades as Oliver gets through to him – that man sure has a way with words.

Just when it seems like everything is going to go their way, it happens. She hears a rustle of movement behind her and she knows both the moment Rene notices it, and the moment Oliver sees Rene notice it.

Faster than she can blink, her world comes crashing down around her. All at once she hears the sound of a gun ring out in the clearing, she hears her own voice screaming out at Oliver, and she hears the impact of three bullets as they fly toward her husband’s chest where he now stands before her, once again valuing her life over his own.

Two bullets lodge themselves in Oliver, the third grazing his neck, and he stands his ground, shielding Felicity until the last shot is fired – only then does he collapse under the burden of his injuries.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------

The last thing Oliver sees is Felicity’s face contorted in anguish as she screams, “OLIVER, NO!” He pushes his wife behind him, arm still around her waist, and stands his ground as three shots hit his body. She’s sobbing behind him, and as his body gives out beneath him, he is vaguely aware of Rene’s retreat, Thea’s cries of distress, and John barking orders. After that, everything goes black.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so excited by the response to the first chapter! This is my first try at writing, so thank you to everyone who took the time to read!

Through her sobs, Felicity listens to John’s orders. Thea is calling the doctor directly, letting her know the sensitive situation, Quentin is dealing with Black Siren, and John is helping Felicity get Oliver to the van.

“He has to be okay John, he just has to. He did this for me. He can’t die for me, I won’t let him.” John lays a hand on her shoulder while she gets situated in the back of the van, Oliver’s head making her lap look tiny. She strokes a hand over his brow and presses a kiss to his forehead before looking up at her friend. “Felicity, he’s survived much worse, and he has so much more to live for now. We’ll get him through this.” She nods and he heads to the driver’s seat.

Thea climbs in the back, eyes red-rimmed, and then they are off, speeding towards Star City General ignoring any and all traffic laws. 

Felicity looks at her sister-in-law, “Here, take his head, and keep pressure on that neck wound.” “Felicity,” Thea protests, “it’s okay. I know he’s my brother, but you’re his wife, you should be the one to hold him right now.” 

Felicity sniffles a little as she leans down to place a kiss on Oliver’s forehead once more before shaking her head and transferring him to Thea’s lap. “I have to change his clothes, unless you want to be in charge of undressing him?” At the wrinkle of Thea’s nose, Felicity gets to work getting Oliver out of suit and into the spare sweats they keep in the van for emergencies. 

Thea reaches over to squeeze one of Felicity’s shaking hands where she’s struggling to pull down the zipper on Oliver’s jacket. When she pauses to give Thea a look of gratitude, Thea says, “Felicity, I know this is so scary and he is so stubborn and heroic sometimes that he deserves a good smack to the back of his head, but what Oliver did tonight… I am so proud to be his baby sister. He didn’t think, he didn’t hesitate, he threw himself between you and danger without a second thought because that’s how important you are to him. I hope to find someone who loves me like that one day.”

Felicity pauses again from where she had begun to slip a hoodie jacket up Oliver’s arms and glances at Thea. “Thea, once we get all of this figured out with Oliver,” her voice breaks on his name and she takes a deep breath to steady herself, “say the word and I will put all of my time and resources into locating Roy and getting you set up to run away with him. Because you already have someone who loves you like that, even if he isn’t here right now. Believe when I tell you nothing in this world is more important than a love like that, and you deserve every bit of it.” 

As she zips up his grey hoodie, Felicity reaches for the chain around her neck and removes his wedding band, placing it back in its rightful place on his finger, kissing his knuckles in the process, and then smiles sadly up at Thea.

Thea’s tears are flowing freely now and she squeezes Felicity’s hand again, “Thanks Felicity. I always wanted a sister.”  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------

After they reach the hospital, Oliver is rushed into surgery leaving Felicity with no time to even kiss him goodbye, and then everything is a blur.

Thea has gone back to their apartment to look after William, John sits stoically in a corner of the waiting room, and Felicity splits her time between brainstorming ways to make John’s chip un-hackable, pacing the hospital hallway, and sobbing uncontrollably in John’s arms, only taking a short break to be checked over by a doctor. She doesn’t know how much time has passed when John gently nudges her awake and she opens her tear-swollen eyes to see the doctor watching her patiently ready to give her news on Oliver’s condition. 

“Mrs. Queen, your husband is out of surgery. One of the bullets entered your husband’s chest and punctured his lung. We removed it during surgery and re-inflated his lung, but he has some internal bruising and a few broken ribs. He will be in a fair amount of pain for some time, but once it heals, there should be no lasting damage. A second bullet was lodged in his left shoulder, but managed to miss any major vessels or nerves, so with some rest and rehab, it should be back to normal in no time.” She gives Felicity a small reassuring smile, “The major issue we had was the shot that grazed his neck. The bullet didn’t enter his body, but he lost quite a bit of blood in that area, directly from an artery that supplies the brain. We can’t say if there will be any permanent brain damage due to the blood loss until he wakes up.”

“But he will wake up, right?” she more or less demands, her voice bordering on hysteria, already on her feet. The doctor’s kind eyes turn sad, “That is our hope Mrs. Queen, but we can’t know the extent of damage to his brain unless he wakes up. We can’t even be sure that he will.”

A choked sob tears its way out of Felicity’s throat as she falls against John for support. “I need to see him. Can I see him? I need to be with my husband.” The doctor nods and leads Felicity to Oliver’s room and then they are alone. 

Sitting in the hard chair next to his hospital bed, Felicity takes in just how frail her husband looks, his skin is pale, his left arm in a sling, and most of his bare chest and neck is wrapped in bandages, though she can already see the ugly black and purple bruises beginning to appear underneath.

Reaching up to her neck once again, she moves his wedding band that they’d given her before taken him back to surgery and places it back on his finger. She kisses his forehead and grasps his large right hand in both of hers, bringing it to her lips. 

“Please wake up Oliver. Please. I’m not ready to do this without you. I can’t. We wasted so much time, please, we can’t lose any more. I love you so, so, so much. Please, come back to me.” The tears falling down her cheeks wet his fingers where they are still pressed against her lips as she begs him to come home to her.


	3. Chapter 3

He wasn’t fast enough.

His impeccable reflexes, honed from years of dealing with the worst the world has to offer, failed him in the one moment he needed them most. That is the thought on a loop in Oliver’s mind as he looks down at his wife’s lifeless body.

Felicity is so pale. Gone is the beautiful, pink flush she is almost always sporting, in its place the blueish-purple hue that can only be associated with death. Oliver thinks he may be sick, until he remembers he’d already vomited the entire contents of his stomach.

The second thought he has, competing strongly for his attention, is _William_. What the hell is he going to tell William? He promised his wife and son that he would keep them safe above all else and he failed. He failed them and it is so much worse than failing the city. He let his family down.

He feels a light pressure on his shoulder before he notices that he has company, and it doesn’t escape his attention that his usually preternatural hearing missed his best friend walking over to him. “Oliver, we need to move her. She doesn’t belong here. We need to get you both out of here. You should get home to William. The rest of us will deal with Rene.”

Rene. _Rene._ Oliver’s vision turns red and his eyes scan the clearing for the man responsible for his wife’s cruel death. He is going to kill him. Slowly, painfully. “Where. Is. He.” Oliver’s voice is lower than even the modulator can make it.

He spots Rene retreating across the clearing and he is on his feet in seconds, overtaking the other man in no time. Grabbing him by the collar, Oliver whispers menacingly, “You are going to pay for what you did to her.”

Oliver isn’t really aware of his actions as he throws Rene to the ground, throwing punch after punch. The other man’s face is covered in blood and he is teetering on the edge of consciousness when Diggle pulls Oliver off of him.

“Hey man, don’t do this. Think of Felicity.”

“I AM THINKING OF FELICITY! He killed her John. She’s dead. Felicity is dead.” Though he had been yelling at Diggle, his final words barely make it out, a whisper choked out on a sob as he falls to his knees before John hauls him to his feet leading him back to his wife’s body.

Oliver’s tears are falling freely now as he lets himself feel the misery, the heartbreak, of what has taken place here tonight. No longer able to hold himself up, he collapses onto Felicity’s body, burying his face in the crook of her neck, missing the warmth he usually finds there. Tears begin to soak the collar of her coat, mingling with her spilled blood as he sobs, unable to control himself as darkness threatens to overtake him.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

For the first few hours, Felicity was able to hold it together. She told herself to stay strong, for Oliver, holding his hand, caressing his cheek, softly speaking words of affection and encouragement.

After four hours, her resolve begins to weaken, and at hour 12 she is quickly slipping into a pit of despair.

John regularly comes in to check on her, refusing to go home to Lyla despite Felicity’s assurances she will be fine. He brings her coffee, has Lyla bring her a change of clothes, and gives her regular updates from Thea on whether or not William is awake and asking questions.

God, _William_. What is she going to tell William? They assured him countless times that Oliver was being more careful, and Felicity herself assured William more than once that his father always makes it home – she makes sure of it. And this time.. this time Oliver’s condition is worse than she’s seen it in a long time, and it is her fault. Why didn’t she just move out of the way?

When her phone begins to ring amidst the beeping of Oliver’s heart monitor, Felicity realizes its almost morning, and William will be waking up soon, both of his parents missing. “Thea,” Felicity answers, “there’s no change.”

She hears the pause at the other end of the line signaling Thea’s disappointment as the other woman tries to pull herself together. “Felicity, I know you don’t want to think about this now, but William will be waking up for school soon and I need to know what you want me to tell him.”

Felicity sighs. She knew this was a possibility, had been planning for it more and more with each passing second that her husband didn’t wake up, but she still isn’t ready to tell William. “Tell him Oliver is hurt and I am with him. Tell him I’ll call him as soon as I know something. He’s going to try to convince you to let him stay home from school, but don’t let him. He needs normalcy today. And tell him you or Raisa will bring him by the hospital as soon as school is out if we don’t have any news.”

After assuring Thea that there is nothing to be done at the hospital and she should go into work, she hangs up and settles in for a long day.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The moment William sees Oliver, his face drops. Felicity can see his hesitation as he hovers near the door, as if entering the room will make this all more real. “It’s okay, come closer. He could use some more love right now,” she tells her stepson, waving him over.

Once William reaches Oliver’s bedside, Felicity hugs him tightly and then eases him down in the chair next to hers, taking his hands. “William, your dad…he’s hurt pretty badly. The doctors have done everything they can do, but his body just isn’t ready to wake up. We hope that once he gets some rest, he’ll wake up and be back on his feet in no time.”

She pauses, letting her words sink before continuing, “I know this is scary. And I know you probably have so many feelings. You’re hurt and sad and angry and worried and a million other things, and I want you to know that that is okay. I am feeling all of those things too. But there are two more things you have to feel in this moment okay?

William meets her eyes for the first time, recognizing the weight of what she is about to tell him, and nods. “First, you have to be proud of him. I know that was he does is not something you are always happy with and I know that’s because of moments like this, but you need to know what your dad did last night.”

“Aunt Thea said he was a hero,” William offers quietly, looking to Felicity for confirmation. With tears welling in her eyes, Felicity nods and continues, “He was. He is. William, last night there was a gun pointed at me, and when the trigger was pulled, your dad didn’t even hesitate for a second. He just jumped right in front of me, and while one bullet would be enough to send most men to the ground, your dad stood tall and shielded me until the last shot was fired. He saved my life, William.”

Felicity watches William as he mulls over what she’s told him and she sees the pride creep in  behind the sadness in his gaze. He meets her eyes again, and now she can sense his steadfast determination. Sometimes he is _so much_ like Oliver, and that thought grounds her in this moment. “What’s the second thing?” he asks.

“The second thing you have to do is believe in him. I know things don’t look good right now, but your dad is the toughest person I know. He’s been a fighter for so many years, and he _always_ fights for the people he loves. Every time I think I’ve lost him, he fights his way back home to me. This time he has you to fight for too. There isn’t much we can do for him right now, but we can definitely believe in him.”

William smiles sadly at her before, “Felicity? Do you think Aunt Thea could stay with me a few more nights? We could bring you some more clothes and whatever else you need. I just think Dad needs you here.”

This time she can’t keep the tears at bay as she takes in her incredible stepson, so brave and selfless just like his father. “I think that’s a great idea William, and I think it would mean so much to him that it came from you.”


	4. Chapter 4

_William._ Oliver’s heart shatters even further as he makes his way to his son’s room. He finds the boy perched on his bed, a book Felicity had lent him in his hand. “Hi,” Oliver croaks out, his voice hoarse from the sobs that wracked his body the last few hours. William recognizes it immediately, his brow furrowing in an expression that looked so much like Oliver. If Felicity were here, she would mention it immediately.

“What’s wrong?” William asks, his voice rising along with his anxiety. Oliver makes his way to the bed, facing his son. “Something happened Buddy. Something happened to Felicity. She… William, I am so sorry, I promised to protect you both but I wasn’t quick enough, I wasn’t good enough. I’m so sorry.”

“Dad?” William questions, now in full hysteria, “What happened to her? Is she okay? Where is she?”

Tears well in Oliver’s eyes as he grasps his son’s small hands tightly in his own large ones. “I’m so sorry William. Felicity didn’t make it. She’s dead.

The last remaining piece of Oliver’s heart is crushed as he watches utter misery take over his boy’s expression. Oliver gathers William into his arms, sobs already shaking his shoulders, and he hears William whisper, “I never even told her I loved her,” as the Queen men cry themselves to sleep in William’s bed.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The only thing that had changed in 3 brutal days of watching her husband prone in hospital bed was the coloring in his cheeks, and the expression on his face. She had called the doctor in on both occasions, but was disappointed each time.

The color returning to his face was due to the blood transfusion he had received during surgery and the nutrients that were being pumped into his body via IV. Worse, the look of pure agony on his face was not due to any physical trauma. The doctor checked his pain killer regimen, and the dose was more than enough to keep him comfortable. It seemed that he was experiencing some of his signature nightmares while still comatose and absolutely nothing could be done to help him.

So, Felicity holds Oliver’s hand, whispering comforting words in his ear, and places gentle kisses on every bit of exposed skin she can reach, all the while watching his face contort in agony, completely helpless to ease his suffering. To say it was turning into a long week would be the understatement of the century.

At some point, she is no longer able to hold her head up or her eyes open so, Oliver’s large, calloused hand still clutched desperately in hers, she lowers her head onto the flimsy hospital blanket. The crown of her head lightly brushes up against his ribs, and she closes her eyes,  praying for a dreamless sleep.

A nurse knocks on the door, startling Felicity awake before she strides into the room. “Mrs. Queen, there are some visitors downstairs for you husband. I know he is a high profile patient and they are not on his approved visitors list so I wanted to check with you.”

Felicity tries to think who it would be. John has barely left the hospital in days, Thea is at city hall trying to keep things under control in Oliver’s absence and won’t be in until she brings William this afternoon, Quentin is dealing with Black Siren, and Lyla is at ARGUS. And all of those people are on the approved visitor’s list. Intrigued, Felicity follows the nurse down to the lobby. When she sees who the visitors are, it stops her in her tracks.

Felicity stalks over to their old teammates, he blood boiling. “What on EARTH do you think you are doing here?” She is finding it difficult to keep her voice down.

“Listen Blondie,” Rene starts, before Curtis cuts in so he doesn’t say anything else stupid. “Felicity, it’s been 3 days. Dinah hadn’t heard anything at the station and we just wanted to see how Oliver was doing.”

“How he is doing? You’re joking right? This is a joke. It must be, because surely you wouldn’t seriously show up here without so much as an apology to see how my _comatose husband_ is doing? Because you can’t possibly think you have any right to know about his condition.” She says the words quietly, but the bite to her voice is impossible to miss.

This time Dinah tries, “Felicity, we really are sorry about what happened to Oliver. Obviously this was never part of our plan. We just wanted Black Siren. No one was supposed to get hurt”

Felicity’s voice is now no more than a whisper. “No. No. You don’t get to come in here after you ruined everything and ask for our forgiveness. That’s not how this works. Oliver gave you  everything. He took you in, he trained you, he _trusted_ you and this is how you repay him? By ratting him out to the FBI and nearly killing him with three bullets to the chest? No. And just so we are clear, the _only_ reason we are in this situation in the first place is because Oliver took it easy on you. Make no mistake, if he wanted to hurt you, you all would’ve been down before Rene even had a chance to aim his gun. He was pulling punches, trying to talk you down without violence and you shot him.”

She stops for a moment to make sure her point is being received loud and clear. “If I were you, I’d get out of this city, and never come back because if Oliver wakes up, there will be hell to pay for shooting at his wife. And if he doesn’t, well, you’ll have to deal with me.”

With that, Felicity turns on her heel without so much as a backwards glance at the other three. Her heels click across the hospital lobby as she heads back to her husband, her threat left hanging over the heads of her old teammates.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! Two updates at once! This one is a little shorter, so that's why I posted two.
> 
> Thanks so much to everyone who has been reading, I'm still so new at this so I'm glad to see people enjoying it!

After 5 days of little to no change, Felicity has settled into something of a routine. She spends the mornings working on her start-up – _hers,_ because Curtis is no longer involved, but she is more than okay with that. Afternoons are spent on her tablet, monitoring the city for threats. She knows it’s mostly useless, with Oliver and John both unavailable right now, but its familiar and it grounds her. Evenings are spent with Thea and William, sometimes John, eating various kinds of takeout around Oliver’s bed.

She doesn’t leave the hospital. Thea and Lyla have kept her supplied with toiletries and clothes and work. As the mayor, Oliver’s hospital room is private and has its own bathroom and shower. She doesn’t sleep much, the straight-backed chairs the hospital provides are less than comfortable, but Felicity is sure that she’s getting more sleep here than she would if she tried to sleep in their bed without him.

In between tasks, Felicity talks. Filling silence is one of her talents, and Oliver has always said he loves the sound of her voice. So, she talks. She tells him about what William is doing in school, how Thea is handling things at City Hall. She keeps him up to date on criminal activity in the city and tells him about her biggest hopes for her company. Most often, she tells him how much she misses him, how much she needs him, how much she loves him.

During the quiet afternoon of her 6th day in the hospital, Felicity is telling Oliver about her idea to rename her company now that Curtis is not involved, when his heart monitor makes the most awful noise she’s ever heard. Felicity sprints into the hallways screaming for help and in seconds doctors, nurses, and John Diggle come barreling toward Oliver’s room.

They rush to his bed, and everything becomes fuzzy as Felicity’s head starts to spin. She is vaguely aware that the doctors are yelling frightening phrases like, “We’re losing him!” and “Clear!” but she is too busy trying to push her way back to Oliver’s side to really care.

Suddenly two strong arms band around her pulling her back towards the wall, away from the only place she wants to be and then she is screaming and sobbing and clawing at John’s arms until it is finally too much and she collapses in despair.

After minutes that feel like hours, tears still flowing freely, the doctor addresses Felicity, “We got his heartrate back to normal. He should be stable for now. The nurses will be making more regular checks so we can keep a better eye on him. You can go back to him now.”

Felicity doesn’t even grant the doctor as much as a thank you as she flies back to Oliver’s side. Taking his hand in hers again, she leans over to kiss his cheek, whispering in his ear, “Don’t you ever scare me like that again, Mister.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Felicity watches Oliver carefully for the next few hours, too afraid to look away, before she finally feels sure that he is okay. Grabbing her phone, she dials a familiar number and it only takes one ring for Donna Smoak to answer.

“Mom,” Felicity breathes, her mother’s presence on the line instantly calming her a bit.

“Hi, baby girl. How’s your man?” Donna answers, her voice comforting and filled with sympathy.

“He’s not good Mom. He crashed a few hours ago.” Tears begin to pour as she breaks in to a babble, “Mom, I thought I was truly about to lose him and I can’t. I physically can’t handle even thinking about trying to live without him. And all I keep thinking about is how much time I wasted. As I sit here and see him suffering and think about how empty my life would be without him, I realize how stupid and stubborn I was. I wasted almost 2 years of both of our lives that we could have spent together and happy and now that we are finally in that place – now that I finally let us get to that place – it’s all slipping away. I can’t lose him mom. I won’t survive it.”

There is a sad silence on the other end of the line as Donna tries to dry the tears brought on by her daughter’s words. “Oh Baby. You can’t think like that. You were hurt and you needed time to get better so that you were both ready when you made it to this wonderful place you’re at now. The past is in the past. You can’t change it, you can’t dwell on it. All you can do is hope and pray that you can make up for lost time in the future. Oliver has never been able to stay away from you Felicity. I don’t believe for one second that this will be the thing that separates you.”

Sniffling, Felicity whispers, “Thanks, Mom.” Before hanging up and holding on to her husband’s hand even tighter. She finally has the man she loves with all her heart in her life forever and she’ll be damned if she lets him get away now.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another short one, but the next couple updates will have a lot more going on.

The first thing he recognizes is the pounding of his head. The second is the sound of quiet whimpers and sniffles. The third thing Oliver recognizes is a feeling in his heart, it both aches and feels whole at the same time. It was that feeling that finally made him open his eyes. His gaze falls on a mess of blonde curls and he understands that feeling.

_Felicity._ Felicity is at his bedside, filling him with that warm wholeness he so craves, yet her neck is bent, face pressed into the mattress as she cries. That explains the deep ache he feels all the way in his soul.

Confusion fills Oliver, as he struggles to understand. He saw Rene fire his gun at her, he watched her bleed out in his arms, the dark red stain on her white coat growing. There was nothing he could have done. He tried to jump in front of the bullets but he was too late, and his wife was taken from him. This isn't real.

But she is here. He can see her – feel her. That feeling, the one he only has when Felicity is nearby, that’s what has him questioning reality. He never had that feeling in his dreams, but he _always_ feels Felicity fill him up the moment he wakes from a nightmare, piecing him back together from the inside out.

Forcing his stiff neck to the side is incredibly painful, but also necessary for Oliver to take in his surroundings. The room is dark, the only light coming from a cracked door in the corner, but his eyesight has always been unbelievable, and he can see the room in its entirety.

He’s in a hospital, he realizes, as he notices the wires, charts, and sterile-white walls of his room. Things start to click into place when he finally registers the aching low in his chest, his shoulder and his neck, and he finally understands his wife’s tears.

He is _so_ out of it, the amount of pain he is feeling nearly unbearable, and he knows he won’t be able to call out to her, but neither is he able to simply close his eyes again while his wife suffers. With what little strength he can gather, Oliver squeezes her hand. It’s weak, barely a twitch of his fingers against her palm, but it’s enough.

Felicity’s head shoots up, her eyes swollen and bloodshot, but the moment they meet his, he sees her relax ever so slightly. “Oliver,” her voice is a disbelieving whisper. He musters a bit more energy – it no doubt comes from the look in her eyes, the one that tells him she is afraid to hope – and gives her a small but sure smile. She finally lets out the breath she’d been holding as tears began to fall again, this time in relief.

Oliver squeezes her hand once more and gives her what he hopes comes across as an apologetic look. She smiles at him – finally – and it is at that moment that he knows everything will be okay. She isn’t hurt, he had gotten to her in time. He can rest again and begin to regain his strength.

She leans down and places her lips ever so lightly to his cheek, her warm breath calming him, “It’s okay honey, get some rest, get better. I love you so much. I’ll be right here the whole time.” And with that, he closes his eyes and lets sleep take him again.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Felicity can’t stop the tears as they flow from her eyes. Oliver had woken up, he had recognized her. He hadn’t spoken, but she is so sure that he is okay; they have never needed words to communicate. Something about the look in those gorgeous blue eyes she had missed so much told her everything she needed to know: he was going to be okay.

She quickly taps out a message to John, who she is sure was still in the waiting room, and Thea updating her so she will be prepared when William wakes up. _William._ The thought of her stepson finding out his dad is going to be okay…well, it’s enough to bring yet another round of tears to her eyes. He heart warms at the thought of their reunion – they have spent so much time apart already, it is time  for this father-son duo to catch a break.

 As she grabs her husband’s hand again, placing yet another kiss to his knuckles and settles in to wait as long as he needs, she feels that familiar anxiety creeping back in. She just needs Oliver to wake up for good. She needs to hear his voice, see his smile, press her lips to his and feel him respond beneath her. The days without him are starting to take their toll, and she cannot wait until is awake and fully functioning again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oliver is awake! ...sort of...
> 
> I know everyone hates me after this one, but I promise to have another chapter up ASAP!


	7. Chapter 7

When Oliver wakes the second time, Felicity is asleep, the crown of her head lightly brushing his rib cage, her hand clutched tightly around his. He knows he should let her sleep – she looked so exhausted when he woke up before – but the nightmares were almost too much too bear and he could see how worried she was when he woke up the last time. Honestly he just can’t stand another minute without looking into his wife’s beautiful blue eyes.

Oliver’s soft whisper wakes her, her head jerking up as he gently breathes, “Felicity,” in a voice dry from underuse. The relief and love in her gaze is palpable and she can tell he has more energy this time, so the smile she gives him is both blindingly beautiful and so full of love that he feels his heart stop on the spot. As he tries to sit up she places a hand on his good shoulder and presses the button to raise the bed to an upright position.

Oliver tugs on her hand, already trying to make room for her, with a quiet, “C’mere,” and she is happy to oblige, helping him scoot over and climbing in after him. She snuggles her cheek into his chest as he wraps his right arm around her and squeezes – tighter than he probably should, considering his injuries, but he truly doesn’t give a damn. He presses his face into her hair, taking a moment to just breathe her in before he speaks.

“Thank God you’re okay,” his voice trembles slightly as he says the words. She huffs out a morose laugh as she replies, “Shouldn’t I be saying that to you?” He holds her even tighter at that. “You were the one staring down the barrel of a gun, Felicity,” and he can hear so many emotions at play in that one statement: fear, anger, relief, pride, love.

As he moves to wrap his arms around her more fully, she raises a hand to stop him, seeming to just now remember that he is injured and really he was hoping it would take her longer. “Oliver, wait. How are you feeling? What hurts? We should call your doctor night away! How is your head? Any memory loss? Can you feel all of your limbs?”

“ _Felicity_!” She is already starting to pull away, so he holds on even tighter and he has to put a little force behind his words to pull her out of her ramble.  “Felicity, I’m okay, I feel fine. Just a couple of bullets, nothing I haven’t dealt with before.” Felicity pulls a face at that and his brow furrows as his head tilts in confusion. They’ve dealt with gunshot wounds before, why would this time be any big ordeal? She’s definitely patched him up from worse injuries herself.

“Oliver, I don’t think you understand. It wasn’t just a typical gunshot wound. You’ve been in a coma for 6 days. The doctors…they didn’t know if you’d have brain damage… they weren’t even sure if you… if you would wake up.” Her voice breaks as she looks down at their intertwined hands - hers so small compared to his - and the way his heart actually aches at the pain in her expression, is worse that any of his physical injuries.

_Coma? Six days?_ “Six days? What happened? Oh honey, you must have been so worried. Oh no, and _William_! Is William okay? I promised him I’d be more careful. I can’t believe I put you both through this, I’m so sorry.”

“Oliver breathe,” she says with a half-hearted smile. “We both made it okay. I mean, as well as could be expected given the circumstances. You’re going to owe me a month’s worth of shoulder massages from sleeping in this hospital chair for 6 straight days,” she tries to joke, but the humor falls flat under the weight of what happened, “and William…” her smile actually reaches her eyes this time, “William is so proud of his dad for being a hero and saving his step-mother.”

The smile on Oliver’s face could outshine the sun, as he basks in the warmth of his son’s approval. “He’s been absolutely brilliant, Oliver. I’ve never been more proud. He was so strong and brave. He just looked at you with such pride every time he came by to visit. And he is even the one who told me to stay here. He asked me if he could stay with Thea until you got better, because he thought you needed me more than he did. He’s incredible, Oliver, and so much like you.”

Something deep in his chest flutters to life watching Felicity talk about William like a proud parent, seeing her motherly instincts come through so naturally. And hearing how well William handled everything, know that his son is proud of him, that he put Oliver’s health over his own comfort. All of that is enough to bring tears to his eyes, but the look of pure love and adoration on Felicity’s face when she says William is so much like him, that’s enough to send the tears spilling over.

“I’m still sorry for what you had to go through. I was terrified when I saw you standing in front of that gun. I can only imagine how much worse it must have been for you when I was unconscious for days.” A tremble creeps into his voice as he whispers, “God, I was so scared, baby.”

“I’m sorry, Oliver, I’m truly sorry that I scared you, but we both know I would do it again, and I can’t be sorry for that.”

With a sigh he replies, “I know, it’s one of the things that makes you, you. And it’s okay. I’m sorry too. I know how I worried you.” He pauses as she huffs another disbelieving laugh, muttering “That’s an understatement,” under her breath.

“Felicity, I need you to understand something. I’m sorry about what you went through these past few days, and I never want you to suffer, but I cannot apologize for what I did. I will always stand between you and danger. As your partner – as your husband – nothing less is acceptable. Do you understand?”

This time she pulls away to look him in the eye. She must see the sincerity there, because she nods as she leans forward and finally brushes her lips gently along his, and damn if she isn’t _everything_. Her fingernails scrape through his stubble as she pulls away. “I know. It’s one of the many things I love about you. And you haven’t even given me the chance to thank you.”

She barely has the words out before he is interrupting with a fiery, “You never have to thank me for keeping you safe, Felicity.” She smiles and presses up to kiss him again, with a little more force this time. “This time I do.” Before he can interrupt she silences him with her lips again, continuing with her mouth still touching his, “This time I do Oliver, this time is different.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to give a HUGE thanks to everyone who is reading this story! It means so much to see people enjoying my work.
> 
> Also, check out the notes at the end of the chapter for where this story might be heading.

She sees the complete bewilderment in his furrowed brow, and smiles reassuringly at him. “I was a mess when we brought you in, and one of the nurses insisted that I get checked out. I was too far gone to argue, so while you were in surgery, they took me downstairs and ran some tests. I figured it couldn’t hurt, and it might take my mind off of things for a while,” she explains, pausing to take a breath in preparation for what she needs to say next.

But Oliver isn’t having any of it. Clutching at her hand as his fear gets the better of him, he vehemently says, “You better not be dying on me Felicity Smoak,” and without even thinking she is cutting in with a whispered, “Queen.”

Oliver freezes, his brow furrowing further and stares her, his complete confusion written clearly across his handsome face. Felicity smiles shyly – and why does she feel shy? This is _Oliver_ for heaven’s sake, her _husband_. She looks up at him through her lashes before breaking into one of her babbles.

“Um, well… I know I haven’t exactly asked you yet, and I was so against it before, but this week was so scary and emotional and I had a lot of time to think. And it’s just that, I know I had all of these super great reasons, but the past few days the doctors and nurses kept calling me Mrs. Queen and at first I didn’t have the energy or the emotional capacity to correct them. But, after a while, I realized how much it comforted me. You were hurt and they were fixing you and everyone knew you were mine, that I belonged to you. And I know we are married so that stands no matter what name I go by, but it felt so good and safe and right to have the title.”

By the time she finishes, she is out of breath and Oliver looks just as confused as before. The baffled look on his face is somehow endearingly adorable and insanely sexy all at once, and she can’t help leaning in to kiss him again. God she missed this - his embrace, his warmth, his smell, his taste _, him._

She smiles again, settling herself before she explains again, this time more slowly. “I was just thinking that, maybe, if you don’t mind, after you get out of here we could file the paperwork to change my name? Officially. Of course the final decision would be up to you, but I think I’d really like to be Felicity Queen.”

The answering smile Oliver gives her is radiant, and he ducks his head to kiss her hard. “Felicity,” he breathes when he pulls away, “do you mean that?” When she nods, he kisses her again, deeper this time, his tongue slipping into her mouth for the first time in days, and it is actually magical. When he pulls away she is a little breathless as he finally answers, “I would love that. I would love that so much,” punctuating his statement with another peck to her lips.

Relief washes over Felicity at that and she feels a grin break out across her face. She knew he would agree, but she hadn’t anticipated how completely overjoyed he would be. “Thank you. I know what I said before but the days without you really opened my eyes. I can be a strong, independent woman and still let everyone know you’re mine and I’m yours. And I want that. I kept thinking…” she trails off as the memories wash over her momentarily. “I kept thinking that if you didn’t make it, if you… if you didn’t wake up, I would be a widow and I wouldn’t even get to keep your name alive.”

As the tears begin to fall again, he hugs her tighter, whispering reassuringly in her ear, “Shhh. It’s okay honey. I’m right here. I’m okay. I love you sweetheart.” After a few deep breaths she pulls back again to look him in the eye.

“Okay. Now that that’s settled, there’s one more thing.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He can sense his apprehension coming back in full force and it seems like Felicity can too because she hurries to get the words out, “So now that we know what name I’ll be going by, we need to start discussing another name.”

She looks at him expectantly, watching as the words sink in and he begins to understand. “Fe-li-ci-ty,” his voice is barely a whisper, “are you? Are _we_? Are you pregnant?” She nods, unable to keep the grin from her face and this time when he kisses her it is messy and insistent, conveying every bit of passion, love, and joy he is feeling in this moment. “Honey,” he speaks the word against her lips, unable to remove his forehead from hers, “this is…this is fantastic. This is…wow. Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“I’m the one who should be thanking you, silly. You saved both of our lives that night. And...I should be apologizing too. I’m so sorry Oliver, I put this little life,” she pauses grabbing his hand and placing it on her flat belly before continuing, “I put our baby’s life in danger before we even knew they existed.”

He can sense her impending spiral, so he presses one last gentle kiss to her lips before pulling back and taking both of her hands in his. “First and foremost, both of us allowed you and this baby to be in the line of fire, but it isn’t our fault, because we didn’t know, okay?” He waits for her to nod in agreement before continuing, “Second, no more field work for the two of you for the next nine months, agreed?” Again she nods, her smile reemerging.

“Lastly, don’t you dare thank me for saving you or our baby. Felicity, that is my _job._ More than anything else, my duty in this life is to make sure you and our children are happy and taken care of and _safe_. I protect you Felicity. I protect my family. That’s what I do. Okay?” His words are fierce, his steadfast determination obvious as he tries once again to explain to his wife that he will always keep her out of harm’s way.

Her eyes are wet with emotion at his words and he wraps his arms around her again, careful of his injuries. As he gently settles them both back against the pillows, Felicity turns her head, placing a kiss on his chest, directly above his heart before burrowing into his embrace. Oliver feels his wife sigh in contentment before releasing a breath of his own.

Burying his nose in the familiar smell of Felicity’s hair, Oliver says in whisper, “I was so scared that night. I had these awful nightmares where I.. where you.. I wasn’t fast enough Felicity, and I have never felt that kind of pain. And to know that I could have lost you both..” he shakes his head clearing the thought from his mind, silent tears wetting his cheeks, “I am so glad you are okay. I love you so much Felicity.”

She reaches up a hand to wipe the tears from his cheeks before pressing herself against him even tighter, whispering back, “It’s okay, I’m here. I’m safe, we both are. You kept us safe Oliver.”

Oliver kisses the crown of Felicity’s head and revels in the feel of having her in his arms. That night was scary, and he’ll no doubt have nightmares of a gun pointed at Felicity for weeks to come, but here, under the itchy hospital sheets, his body aching and exhausted, his wife and unborn baby safe in his embrace, he knows everything will be alright. His family may not be complete without William here, but wherever they are, he knows they are safe, healthy, and so incredibly loved. With that thought to comfort him, Oliver lets his tired eyes drift closed and lets sleep overtake him, Felicity already sleeping soundly in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally I intended to end this story here, making this a short-ish episode rewrite. It appears that my brain has other ideas and has forced me into writing a whole lot more.
> 
> I could really use some input on where you guys would like to see this story go, or if it should go on at all. So, if you are so inclined, drop me a comment and let me know what you think and if you'd like to see more!  
> (Just as a heads up on what the "more" would be, think: William reunited with Oliver, the media, Rene, Baby Queen, a whole lot more Olicity, and some more drama.)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so overwhelmed by the response I got to continue on this story. I have a lot of plans, and I took everyone's input to heart. I'm not 100% where we're headed but I feel pretty good about the journey. Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to comment, and everyone who has been reading.
> 
> This chapter is not overly exciting, but I felt like it was necessary for cohesion with the future chapters. Hope you still enjoy!

The doctor releases Oliver from the hospital the following morning and he can see the relief on Felicity’s face as he confirm what she already knew: he is going to be okay.

Felicity had had Thea drop some clothes off for him earlier in the week, trying to stay optimistic that he would wake up sooner rather than later, and he is more than happy to rid himself of this ridiculous hospital gown. She helps him pull on his dark jeans, a navy v-neck, and his leather jacket – leave it to his sister to be more concerned about aesthetics than comfort – which is easier said than done considering his injuries. But really Oliver can’t complain about his injuries if they mean Felicity has to dress and undress him for the foreseeable future.

They manage to make him presentable for public with little complication; a few grunts from Oliver and a plethora of knowing looks from Felicity their greatest obstacle. She picked up his prescribed pain medication earlier this morning but they both know he won’t take them – his need to be control of his own body and mind is too great – so she doesn’t offer them, though he knows she wants to.

The bullet that caused the most problems, the one to his neck, ironically healed the fastest, so he really only has two issues to deal with. A few of his ribs are broken – from the actual bullet or collapsing in a heap on the ground afterwards, he doesn’t know – and they hurt just as bad as he remembers from every other time he’s broken his ribs. His left shoulder is healed enough that he no longer needs a sling, but he can’t lift his arm much higher than his chest,  it aches constantly, and he knows it’s going to take a lot of training to get it back in acceptable shape for fighting criminals.

After he’s dressed and the release forms are signed, just as Oliver is about to step into the hallway, a small hand on his arm holds him back. He turns and looks down at Felicity, her petite frame looking tinier than usual draped in his huge sweatshirt that she hasn’t taken off since he woke up. It’s possible she wore it the whole week, but he’ll never know for sure.

“Considering that the mayor was shot, there will probably be press out there. Your security detail will meet us in the lobby but we haven’t talked about what media is saying at this point.”

“Okay. It can’t be that bad right? I mean this has happened to me before,” he replies with a shrug that he immediately regrets, as stabbing pain shoots down his left arm. He tries to temper his wince, but he knows she saw it, her face clouding over momentarily before she gets back to the issue at hand.

With a sigh, Felicity places her palm on Oliver’s chest. “Honey, you are the mayor now. Before, we were always discrete about your hospital stays, but there wasn’t a whole city wondering where the man in charge had disappeared to. Thea has been running things at city hall, and the statement we gave contained as little information we could possibly give and still keep the vultures at bay. I wanted you to get the final say, so before we go out there, you need to decide what story we’re telling. I’ll support you no matter what.”

“Okay. What does the press know right now? What am I working with?” He thinks she’s making a much bigger deal about this than is necessary. He got shot, he didn’t die. Not much of a story there as far as Oliver is concerned.

“Thea told them that you were shot, the blood loss resulted in a coma, and that the timeline for your recovery was indefinite. When I told her you were awake yesterday, she released a second statement saying you were awake and had no damage to your brain and that the doctors would determine when you could return to work based on the extent of your injuries.”

He feels like there is something she isn’t telling him as he tentatively nods. “So, how do they think I got shot?”

He knows he’s asked the right question when her head cocks to the side, her lips forming the most adorable pout – her go-to when she wants something or thinks she’s about to be in trouble. “Well…”

“Fe-li-ci-ty,” it comes out on a sigh.

“Well, you see, we discussed it – Thea and I, I mean. I mean, obviously you didn’t discuss it since you were, you know.” Her hands are already flailing about her head as she rushes to explain. “And so we discussed it without you and that’s when I told her that I wanted you to have the final say because it’s your life and your public image, but Thea said just saying you got shot wouldn’t be enough to appease the media. She said we needed to give them something more, something news worthy so they would back off and I know this might – ”

“Felicity!” As much as he adores listening to her babble, right now he really needs to know what on earth they told the media. He trusts this woman with his life, but her nervous energy and hesitance to tell him has him on edge.

“Right. Sorry. The media. So we obviously told them you were shot, but we kind of, _maybe,_ told them that there was an altercation and you were shot while shielding your wife from gunfire?”

It comes out as question, and the way she winces at the end is so damn cute he almost forgets the topic at hand altogether in favor of kissing her senseless, but then her words register.

“Felicity. You told the entire city I jumped in front of the bullets that were fired at you? Are you okay with that?” He is honestly concerned about how she feels in all this. When Darhk’s men shot at her, he tried so hard to shield her body with his and was unsuccessful. How will she feel if the city knows she was the intended target of more gunfire, especially while in the presence of the man that was supposed to keep her safe the first time.

A crinkle is beginning to form between her eyebrows, and he realizes that she was concerned he would be angry at her. And, even though he thinks she and Thea gave him way more credit than he deserves, he is much more worried about Felicity mental and emotional state in all of this.

“Of course I’m okay with it,” she says, visibly perplexed by his response. “Why wouldn’t I want the entire city to know my husband is brave and selfless and saved my life? It’s time Star City sees you for who you really are, Oliver. A hero.”

A warm feeling forms in the pit of his stomach at her words and he can’t help but pull her in and crush her to his chest, injuries be damned. Sometimes he can’t wrap his head around how incredible this woman is, and that he gets to call her his wife.

“Felicity,” he whispers, and if his voice comes out more affected than he planned, well, he can’t bring himself to care. “Thank you. Thank you for always believing in me, for supporting me, for lighting my way. Thank you for seeing me as good man.”

She leans back and lifts a hand to his cheek, scratching through his stubble the way she knows he likes. “Oliver, if only you could see yourself the way I do, maybe then you would understand that you _are_ a good man, the best man. You’re my hero.”

She goes up on her tiptoes to kiss him gently before continuing. “We have to tell the press who shot you. That’s the part I wanted to be left up to you. We can tell them it was your run-of-the-mill mugging, you saved me, and the attackers fled when they realized they shot the mayor…Or, we can tell them that sources in the police department have been telling us for weeks that a portion of the Green Arrow’s team went rogue. We can say that they broke off from team Arrow and confronted us and that the vigilante known as Wild Dog shot at me. It’s your call.”

He never expected that second option to come out of his wife’s mouth, especially with so much vehemence. She is always so optimistic, always wants to be the bigger person, always gives people the benefit of the doubt. This is out of character for Felicity, and its only now that he is recognizing just how much of a toll this week took on her – revenge has never been her style.

“Felicity,” he sighs again, his hands grasping her shoulders “you know we have to go with mugging. We won’t stoop to their level. If I make that statement saying Rene shot me, how is that any different than him testifying against me in court? That would put Zoe in the same position Rene put William in and she doesn’t have a wonderful step-mother to take care of her if he goes to jail. I won’t be responsible for leaving a child parentless. We have to take the high road here.”

She makes a rather grumpy face, obviously wishing he would have forgone the high road in favor of revenge, and he again feels worry creeping up at her unusual reaction. “Come on, let’s get this over with, I’m ready to get home and see our son.”

He grabs her hand, turning toward the door, but he doesn’t miss the way her eyes light up when he refers to William as their son. Felicity can never replace his mother, and she would never even try to, but Oliver knows how much she loves William, how much she means to him, and he knows that William considers her to be his parent. He’s glad that thought makes her as happy as it makes him.

When they reach the front parking lot of the hospital, his detail does little to shield  them from the wall of flash bulbs and the roar of shouted questions. Unconsciously positioning Felicity slightly behind him, Oliver zeroes in on a reporter he actually somewhat likes, a young woman that went to college with Iris, and lets her ask the questions they all want the answers to.

“Mayor Queen, why was someone shooting at your wife? Is this in any way related to the last time you both were targeted by gunmen? They city is calling you a hero, is it true that you threw yourself between Mrs. Smoak and the bullets?”

Oliver waits for the woman to finish, making sure he covers all of her questions, because he does not plan to repeat himself on this subject.

“My wife and I – who by the way is Mrs. Queen, not Mrs. Smoak,” it doesn’t matter if it isn’t official yet, it will be, and he wants the world to know now that she has decided to take his name. He plasters on what Felicity coined his “charming CEO” smile – though recently she’s taken to calling it his “Mayor Handsome Face” – before giving them what they want.

“We were taking a shortcut home after dinner last weekend when we were attacked by a group of muggers. While it is true that the gun was aimed at my wife, I’d say the city is giving me much more credit than is necessary. A man’s job is to protect his family. That is the only thing that took place last weekend. I am told that the SCPD is working tirelessly to find those responsible. The doctors have requested I take a few days leave from work, but I assure you, I will be back at city hall by the end of the weekend. Thank you for your time, but we need to get home to our son.”

With that, he tows Felicity behind him to the car. It doesn’t escape his attention that she hasn’t released her death grip on his hand since they left his hospital room and he knows he needs to have a talk with his wife about how deeply this past week has affected her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this one didn't have a whole lot of plot going on, but I felt that it was important to the overall story. Next chapter is William, and I promise to get it posted within the next couple of days!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of the scenes you guys asked for, hopefully it lives up to the expectations

Felicity knows she is acting strange, and she knows Oliver has noticed because, well, he’s Oliver and he notices everything about her. She just really can’t help it. The unfortunate combination of thinking her husband might die or have traumatic brain damage, finding out she is pregnant, a complete lack of sleep, and residual PTSD from the last time she and Oliver had shots fired at them is the perfect storm and has her constantly on edge.

Add to that the deep hurt and sharp anger she is feeling towards her old friends, and it’s not hard to see why she can’t seem to get her mind or emotions in order. It’s the almost too much to handle.

Every time she closes her eyes or lets her mind start to wander she see him lying on the ground, bleeding out in her lap. She hears the terrifying sounds the of the heart monitor and the shouts of the doctors as she almost lost him again in the hospital. She is even having flashbacks to the day Malcolm brought her that sword and the blood results came back saying the man she loved was dead.

The horrific images that keeping popping up against her will are not only increasing her fear, but amplifying an uncharacteristic enmity towards Curtis, Dinah, and Rene. They harmed John. They tried to hurt her sister-in-law and the closest person she has to a father. They attempted to hurt her, and her unborn baby. They almost took her husband from her, from their kids. She wants them to _pay_.

This uncharacteristic vengeance Felicity is feeling would probably be all-consuming if not for the overwhelming panic regarding Oliver that seems to dominate her every thought.

It’s almost as if she needs to keep reminding herself that Oliver is here and that he is okay, and the best way she knows how to do that is to be touching him constantly. He had taken her hand when they left his hospital room and she has been holding on like her life depends on it ever since; a white-knuckled grip in the elevator, the lobby, with the reporters, in the car. Now that they are taking the elevator upstairs to their home, she realizes she is going to have to let go of him so he can reunite with William.

That thought paralyzes Felicity, and her already too tight grip on Oliver’s hand clenches to the point of pain. He has given her space up to this point, but when he spies the petrified look on her face, she knows he is not going to let this slide any longer.

The elevator dings open and he immediately leads her to the bench at the end of hallway, putting off his reunion with his son in favor of comforting her. Felicity really doesn’t know what she did to deserve this wonderful man, so selfless, and loving, and _good_.

Lowering her to a sitting position, he squats before her so they are eye to eye. He places one of her hands on his cheek, and positions the other over his heart before cradling her face in his large, calloused palms, his blue gaze steady and full of understanding and concern.

He is effectively surrounding her, his warmth seeping into her from all angles, stubble and hard muscle under her palms giving her an undeniable sensation of _home._

“Do you feel that?” She nods, her eyes never leaving his, blue staring into blue. “That’s my heartbeat. It’s strong and it’s steady and it’s not going to stop any time soon. I’m okay.” She nods mutely again, letting the sound of his voice and the familiar beat of his heart calm her, even if it only eases her minutely.

“I can only imagine what you’re going through right now. It’s been a truly terrible week. I know you’re scared, and I know you’re worried about me. And I _know_ that being shot at again has dredged up some unwanted feelings and memories – I’ve been there. We are going to get through this together, because we are going to lean on each other. We are going to go inside and see our son, and then we are going to go get in our bed and get the rest we both need, okay?”

She wishes she could tell him that it’s not so much her PTSD from the previous shooting but more her extreme terror at the thought of losing him again. Of being alone. Of raising their kids without him by her side. She wants him to understand, knows she should tell him how she feels, but he carries so much guilt already, and she can’t – won’t ever – ask him to stop protecting the city, to stop putting himself between others and danger, so she keeps it to herself.

“Oliver, that’s sweet of you, but I know you need to spend time with William. I won’t be selfish. I’ll be okay. Don’t worry about me.” She knows the smile she gives him is far from reassuring, but she makes the effort just the same.

“Honey, I am always going to worry about you. I can tell you haven’t been sleeping and whether that is from nightmares, or worrying about me, or the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements in the hospital, I don’t know, but you are in desperate need of some rest. And I know I just slept for 6 straight days but the trip home from the hospital has drained me already. It’s definitely going to take some time for me to get back to full strength, but until then, William will understand. We can’t be good parents if we are too worn out to take care of him.”

This time he kisses the tip of her nose when he is finished, standing up and dragging her to her feet, tucking her body up against his good side, under his arm, a safe haven she missed in the week he was unconscious. They make their way down the hall to their apartment and Oliver holds her close the entire time.

She can feel her body relaxing, just from being in contact with his and she thinks just maybe a nap with her husband wrapped around her is exactly what she needs to ease her mind.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When he unlocks the door to their home, Oliver can barely contain his anticipation. He can’t wait to see his son, and hearing Felicity say William is proud of him has him filled to the brim with hope and excitement.

The door is barely open before a streak of brown hair is barreling towards him, with a shouted, “Dad!”

He doesn’t even have time to blink before he has his arms full of a lanky pre-teen boy, and he doesn’t care one bit that the impact hurts like hell. Wrapping his arms tightly around his son, he whispers, “Hey Buddy.”

Felicity, because she knows him so well, lets him have this moment with his son, but also sees the moment when his battered body can’t take any more and gently eases William back from his dad. Oliver mouths “thanks” over William’s head and she smiles back at him before addressing their son.

“William, be careful with your dad. He likes to act like he’s big and tough and unbreakable all the time, but he’s got a lot of healing to do.” Oliver chuckles at that, watching as Felicity ruffles the boy’s hair affectionately before heading into the kitchen to talk to Raisa, and he can feel her eyes still on him even after he looks away.

William looks up at him, pale blues eyes apologetic but still oh so happy, and he thinks his heart might actually burst. “Sorry Dad. I just missed you is all. And I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Me too buddy.” He pulls William over to the couch, already too tired to keep standing, but not ready to be away from his son again just yet. “So tell me all about your week. I’m sure I missed a lot.”

William doesn’t need any more encouragement than that, launching into an animated retelling of his entire week. He talks about ball games and friends, three nights Raisa let him have ice cream after dinner, and there’s a lot of talk about a science project that he will have to have Felicity explain to him later, but Oliver is so glad to see his son happy, he honestly wouldn’t care if William was telling him about the bank he robbed this week.

“Me and Aunt Thea had a lot of fun too! She’s not very good at video games though, kind of like you, actually. Felicity is the only one who wants to play with me.”

A snort sneaks out of Oliver at that. “That’s because you beat the rest of so bad, we’re just trying to maintain a shred of our dignity!”

William’s answering grin is one part mischievous, one part pride, and Oliver pokes him in the side in retaliation, making William snicker.

He can’t help but hug his son again at that, then he bends his neck down to look him directly in the eyes declaring, “I missed you too, you know,” and  William’s smile turns shy.

“I am so sorry about what happened. I know I promised to be more careful, and I swear I have been, it’s just that this time…These were our friends, and we haven’t been getting along lately but, I never thought…” He trails off with a sigh, still unsure how things ever got this far.

“I couldn’t have dreamed that they would do something like this. I’m sure I wasn’t on my best game, I know I was too comfortable around them, I trusted them too much. I promise not to let my guard down like that in the future.”

He waits for William to nod that he understands. “I want you to know that I am so proud of the way you handled things this past week. I know you must have been scared, but Felicity told me how brave you were. Thanks for looking out for me and taking care of Felicity while I was out of commission, I knew I could count on you.”

William positively preens under his father’s praise, his smile growing larger again for a moment before his face turns serious. “Dad?”

“Yeah buddy?”

“Aunt Thea and Felicity told me what happened. I’m really sorry about your friends. And I’m glad you did what you did. I don’t want you to get hurt ever, but I’m really glad you saved Felicity. That’s pretty cool. Aunt Thea says you’re a hero.”

A watery laugh slips out as Oliver replies, “Your Aunt Thea says a lot of crazy things, but thank you. I’m glad you want Felicity to be safe, we’ve got to watch out for our girl, right?” He pats William on the head, smiling down at this incredible child that he loves so much, not fully understanding what he did to deserve a chance to love a second one too.

“Yeah, I mean, she’s my step mom. She takes good care of me. That’s why I thought she should stay with you in the hospital, because you needed someone to take care of you this time. Plus, I don’t think she wanted to be away from you.”

The fluttering in Oliver’s heart is almost too much, the tears threatening to overflow. “She takes pretty good care of both of us, doesn’t she?”

The pair shares a moment of quiet companionship before Oliver’s exhaustion starts to really take over, this ache in his chest and the throbbing in his skull suddenly more than he can bear. He leans toward William, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

“I know I just got home, but I’m still feeling really tired and I’ve got to recover, so I need to go lie down for a while, okay?  I’m really sorry, son.”

William just shrugs his shoulder before he answers, “Sure Dad. I want you to get better. Can we have dinner together tonight though, all three of us?”

“I think that sounds like a fantastic idea, William. Since this is a special occasion, what do you say we order pizza?”

It’s entirely possible that the prospect of pizza has caused his son to smile even wider than Oliver returning from the hospital did. “Really? But pizza isn’t healthy.”

Oliver chuckles again, his broken ribs protesting but not diminishing his delight in the slightest. William is the only person – save for Felicity – that can make him laugh this much.

“Sure, after I lie down for bit, we’ll order pizza. I’m going to take Felicity with me too, if you don’t mind. She also likes to think she’s super tough, but she didn’t get much rest in the hospital. Now it’s my turn to take care of her.” With that, he sends his son to work on his homework and heads to the kitchen to see get his wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I had written this chapter before this week's episode aired, and the science project is just a coincidence.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: if you don't like cuddling, this chapter isn't for you

She tries to convince Oliver that she’s fine – she doesn’t need to sleep, one of them should spend time with William – even has he drags he to their bedroom and starts undressing her. First he grabs the hem of his hoodie she’s been wearing for days, dragging it up over her head, next the zipper on the back her dress comes down as he helps her step out of it and her heels in one motion. He unclasps her bra, sliding it down her arms before popping his hoodie back over her head and admiring his work.

Its domestic and intimate and she is filled with an incredible warmth as he takes care of her, reminded again just how lucky she is to have found him, to get to keep him. Shaking herself out of her trance, Felicity opens her mouth to tell him again that this is no time for a joint nap when her husband fixes her with a Green Arrow-esque look. She clamps her mouth shut with a click, knowing that he’s made up his mind, whether she likes it or not.

The problem is that her arguments are half-hearted at best. She doesn’t want to stop touching him let alone be in a different room from where he is. She can barely stand the _thought_ of letting him out of her sight, and she knows she wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything if she was more than a short distance away from him.

Add to that that Oliver knows her _-_ truly, deeply, in his _bones_ , knows her _-_ and she doesn’t really stand a chance. He knows she needs the rest, knows she wants to sleep, knows the nap will ease her mind at least a little, which is why he isn’t hearing any of her arguments.

She’s so lost in her own thoughts that she misses him slipping off his jeans, shoes, and jacket, left in only his black boxer briefs and the navy v-neck she loves oh so much, finally breaking free from her reverie when he nudges her, needing help with his shirt.

She helps him maneuver the t-shirt over his head, trying to avoid his wounds as much as possible. When they are both dressed for bed, he lowers them onto edge of the mattress, taking her hands in his.

“Fe-li-ci-ty,” it comes out as a sigh. “Please stop trying to be strong for my sake. We are partners. We lean on each other when things are hard. You are not alone. Let me help.”

When she opens her mouth to protest that she’s _fine_ , he’s the one who was shot three times, he places his lips on hers ever so lightly, effectively stopping her defenses. “You are exhausted honey. I can see it in your eyes, in the way you stand. You have gotten hardly any sleep over the past week. Add to that spending 6 days worried about me, and it’s only natural for you to be tired. Please, just try to get some rest. If not for me or for yourself, think of the baby. It can’t be healthy for their mom to be dead on her feet.”

He places their joined hands low on her abdomen as he pleads with her, and any remaining fight she had just drains out of her in an instant. She’s only known this little person is growing inside of her for a week, and already she knows she would do anything to keep them safe.

“You better not start using that one on me all the time, mister,” she admonishes lightly.

“That depends on whether or not it works,” he teases back, but his eyes are serious, begging her to see reason.

“Okay, fine. We’ll nap, but just a short one. We haven’t been home for a week and William needs us too. We are not going to be those parents that let William fall to the wayside just because we have another baby to look after.”

He nods in agreement, relief washing over his features. “I already set the alarm. He requested family dinner tonight and I figured it’s the least we can do considering he took care of both of us all week. I even suggested pizza.”

She feels a grin coming on, “You are such a push over, Oliver Queen.” She punctuates the declaration with a kiss on his cheek, his nose, his lips.

He carefully removes her glasses, placing them on the bedside table, and pulls her down on the bed with him, his head resting on the pillow, hers on the bicep of his good arm. Oliver pulls the blankets up over both of them before wrapping his entire body around her, and this is the safest she’s felt in a week.

This – enveloped in Oliver’s protective embrace where she can feel his heartbeat steady against her back, legs tangled together as he buries his nose in her hair, kissing the crown of her head – is home.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It feels like she’s only been asleep a few minutes when she jolts awake, but the way the light is coming through the window tells her otherwise. It only takes a moment to realize what woke her as she registers the chill in the room and the lack of a warm body draped around her. Grabbing her glasses off the nightstand, Felicity turns over in search of her husband.

The sight that meets her eyes breaks her heart. Oliver is on the far side of the bed - the one that usually goes unused, because they opt to sleep cuddled together on one half - on his back, all of the muscles in his body tense and locked in place. His hands are in white-knuckled fists at his sides, his body drenched in sweat. He would be completely still if it weren’t for the thrashing of his head and the heaving of his chest.

His face is contorted in agony, his eyes screwed shut at the painful horrors constructed by his mind. A whimper slips through his clenched jaw, and a tear rolls down Felicity’s cheek at his torment.

He says he used to be violent during his nightmares, but every time she has found him like this, he has been eerily still. She knows it’s because they are so in sync – that on some level, his body and mind recognize her presence and that’s what keeps him from flailing and kicking.

He has always had an innate need to protect her. It is why she was unafraid to share a bed with him from their very first night, despite his reluctance at not having full control with her so near. She trusts him so deeply, knows in her soul that he could never hurt her.

It’s also why, despite his innumerable protests, she wakes him up every time. She could never be afraid of this man, who is a deadly weapon with only his bare hands, but holds her like she is his most precious treasure.

She’s had ample practice over the years, tried different techniques, learned what works best, and she discovered one approach that has yet to fail her. Slowly, so as not to startle him and being careful of his injuries, Felicity lifts herself up and lowers her body down on top of his, chest to chest, her heart already adjusting, increasing in speed to match beat with his racing one.

Once she is settled and sees that he is still trapped in his dreams, she takes one of his muscular arms at a time and fits them around her small body. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she presses her cheek to his and whispers in his ear.

“Oliver, sweetheart, it’s me. It’s Felicity. You’re okay, it’s just a dream. Wake up for me honey. I’m right here, you’re safe, we’re safe.” She can already feel him starting to stir and knows the moment he breaks free from his terror, because his arms – heavy and limp before – suddenly wrap around her like a vice. He turns his head and buries his face in her neck.

“Is this real?” he chokes out on a sob, his labored breathing making the words come out with a huff of air.

“Yes baby. This is real. I’m here.”

He shakes his is head vigorously, his breathing rate increasing even more as his panic intensifies. “This isn’t real. It’s not real. You can’t be real. You can’t—”

He suddenly breaks off, gasping for breath, his panic reaching its peak. She can feel his tears running down her neck, and he is hyperventilating, unable to catch his breath. This is the worst time she’s had breaking him out of a nightmare in a long time.

Squeezing his neck even tighter, she wills him to come back to reality. “Shh. Oliver, I’m _here._ This is real. You can feel my heart beating against your chest. You’re okay, we’re home. Come back to me sweetheart. Calm down. It’s okay.” He draws her tighter against him, but quiets a little, his sobs easing as she breaks through the haze of fear he’s been lost in.

As his breathing gradually slows back down, she just holds him, muttering reassurances, waiting until he is ready. When he releases a deep breath, she finally lifts her head from the crook of his neck, her hands coming up to cradle his cheeks, gently caressing his rough skin, wiping away the last of his tears.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” His voice is rough and ragged, his eyes swollen with tears, but his mouth tips up at the corner in a half-hearted smile.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

He opens his mouth as if to say no, but she can see the moment he thinks better of it and decides to let her comfort him. “It was the same as in the hospital. You…you didn’t make it. I wasn’t fast enough. Oh Felicity, it’s so much worse than the ones from the island. I can usually shake myself out of those anymore, but this…you…” He closes his eyes to collect himself. “It feels so real. I’ve never felt pain like I do in these nightmares…I didn’t want to believe you were real. I couldn't lose you again.”

The sudden urge to kiss him, to prove to him that she’s here and alive and _his_ overtakes her and she can’t help but crash her mouth onto his. It’s uncoordinated, teeth clanking and tongues tangling, but the passion is undeniable as they remind themselves that they made it through yet another tragedy, together.

She finally pulls away when the need for air is too great, but she keeps her forehead on his, needing to feel him as much as he needs to feel her.

Once she catches her breath, his hand tangles in her hair, pulling her mouth back to his. He’s kissing her with desperation, as if at any moment she could disappear. He devours her mouth, moving on to her ear, her throat. She moans softly when he reaches the place where her neck meets her shoulder, and before she can blink, he has her on her back, his body pressing her into the mattress.

Just as her fingers knot in the short hairs at the back of his neck, holding him to her like he’s air and she can’t breathe without him, the alarm on his phone shatters the intensity in the room.

He sighs in defeat, his head falling to her collar bone, leaving another kiss there. Laughing, she pats his chest and kisses his forehead. “Come on big guy, let’s go have pizza with our kid. Or, I guess kids now, since this one,” she points at her belly, “goes wherever I go. Wow _kids_. Oliver, that’s just – ”

“Incredible,” he finishes for her, a real smile finally gracing his beautiful face. He climbs off of her and out of the bed, pulling her up after him directly into the cradle of his arms. He takes a moment to just breathe her in, as she snuggles her face into his bare chest.

His deep exhale lets her know he’s okay – for the time being – so she places a kiss over his heart, pulling him toward their closet.

Felicity slips on a pair of leggings on but opts to keep Oliver’s giant hoodie, while he pulls on a pair of sweats and she helps him with his t-shirt.

Planting a kiss on the top of her head, he takes her hand, tugging her along with him as he repeats her earlier words, “Come on, time for dinner with our kids.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oliver is surprised to wake up the next morning having slept soundly through the night. He had been certain that either the pain or the nightmares would wake him at least once. As the sleepy fog begins to clear from his mind he recognizes the driving force behind his peaceful sleep.

Felicity is still swathed in his hoodie from the night before and, while he distinctly remembers falling asleep wrapped around her from behind, sometime during the night she must have flung her tiny body mostly on top him.

Her cheek is squished against his chest, his good arm curled around her back, one of her legs flopped across his hips, while the other tangles with his. She’s got one arm stretched up near his head, fingers unconsciously playing in his hair even as she slumbers, and the other holds the hand of his injured left arm, their intertwined fingers resting over his heart.

The sight of her like this - so relaxed in his embrace because she knows that even with his injuries she is safest cocooned in his arms - it gives him a surge of pride and a mess of butterflies he would never admit to out loud. Careful not to wake her, Oliver wraps his right arm further around her so he can place his palm protectively over her stomach. Over their child.

He still can’t believe how lucky is. First he was lucky enough to get Felicity in is life, as his friend, then his partner, and now as his wife. When he found out about William and was later able to start building a relationship with him, he was sure he had peaked – there was no way life got better than that.

But then, Felicity told him she was carrying their child,. It is incredible that he was allowed this opportunity to create a life with the woman who made him feel alive again.

Oliver has always wanted to be a father, but never thought he deserved such happiness. When William came into his life, he was sure fate made a mistake, but he was not about to question this wonderful chance to be a dad. That he is going to be able to do it twice, this time from the start and with _Felicity,_ is something he never even dared to dream of.

The woman in question stirs atop him, mumbling nonsense, before she raises her head to look at him with glazed over eyes.

“Hi,” he whispers unable to contain his smile.

“Hey,” she whispers back, the word slightly slurred with sleep, “What’s got you so happy this morning?”

Squeezing the arm around her he replies unashamedly, “You.”

Felicity raises an eyebrow at him in question as if she doesn’t know she is his sun and moon and stars all at once. “Really,” he confirms. “I was just thinking about the wonderful life I have and how I wouldn’t have any of it without you. You started my good luck and it just keeps going. And now you’ve given me yet another thing to be grateful for.” He pats her belly gently to emphasize his point.

Felicity is giving him the most spectacular smile, the one he hopes and prays will always be his and his alone. She glances down at his hand and tangles her fingers with his, so both of their hands are cradling their unborn child.

“It’s weird isn’t it? I can’t quite explain it, it’s just…I didn’t know it was possible to – ”

“Love someone you’ve never met?” he finishes.

Her eyes come back up to his and he knows he read her mind again. “So much. Oliver, how is it possible to feel this much love for a person that hasn’t been born yet, a person I have only know about for a week?”

“Honey, I’ve only know about this baby for a day, and I love them so much it feels like my heart could explode. But I know exactly how that is possible. It’s because this baby is fifty percent you, and I love anything and everything that is a part of you with my whole heart.”

Her eyes have gone shiny with tears, but he needs her to know, needs her to understand that he is as head-over-heels for this baby as she is.

“I love you,” she whispers.

“I love you.”

A moment of intimate silence passes between them and neither of them misses the weight of the situation. Everything is changing, drastically and quickly, but they are both fully on board, ready to take on anything life throws at them.

“So, what’s the plan for today?” He can tell she is trying – and failing miserably – at nonchalance but he plays along anyway.

He tilts his head, pretending to be in deep thought for a moment before he says, “Well, I can’t go back to work yet, and William is at school all day…Do you have a lot of work to do for the company?”

“I think I got more than enough done when I spent six straight days in the hospital,” she reminds him with a roll of her eyes. “Do you want to spend the day with me?”

“Well, I’ll have to check my schedule. I got a text message earlier confirming my appointment with the OB/GYN…not sure if that’s something I can push.” He smirks at the crinkle between her brows.

“Frak. It was supposed to be a surprise! Well, I guess the cat’s out of the bag so...would you like to go with me to see our baby today?”

He leans down to kiss her, morning breath and all. “I cannot think of a single thing I would rather do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Drop me a comment and let me know what you think!


	12. Chapter 12

Oliver is practically vibrating with excitement as he sits next to her in the waiting room of her doctor’s office. They luckily managed to avoid any media on their way in, which is incredibly lucky considering they want to make it through this check-up before telling anyone the news.

“Honey,” she presses her palm on his thigh to stop the constant bouncing, leaning into his side, “all of your fidgeting is making me nervous.”

“Sorry.” The smile he gives her is almost shy and she can see the oh-so-rare blush creeping into his cheeks. “I can’t tell if I’m nervous or excited or...both. I do know that I’m happy though.” The kiss he drops on her forehead is so tender that she can’t even bring herself to stay annoyed at him.

“Don’t worry, this is just a normal check-up. I’m sure everything is fine.” He nods, but seems less than reassured by her words, probably because he can tell she’s just as nervous as he is.

She’s about to respond when a nurse steps out into the waiting area. “Felicity?”

“That’s our cue. Are you ready?” she asks, gripping his hand tight. When he nods, she tows him along with her to follow the nurse down the hallway.

The nurse does the usual weight, temperature, and blood pressure measurements before depositing them in an exam room that looks as if a box of pastel-colored crayons exploded in it. They take a seat in the chairs in the corner, Oliver’s arm automatically curling around Felicity, his eyes doing a silent sweep of the room.

“Hey,” she whispers pulling him out of protector-mode. “It’s just the doctor’s office. I’m sure we’re perfectly safe.”

Sighing, Oliver squeezes her upper arm in apology. “I know. I  just can’t help it. My default for the last decade is to be on alert. And I always do an unconscious threat assessment in a new place. I can keep it low key most of the time but I’m extra on keyed-up today. It’s my first public outing where I knowingly have you _and_  a baby to look out for.”

Felicity gives him a soothing smile, letting him know that she understands and that she appreciates him. It’s at that moment that a knock sounds on the door and Dr. Jones steps into the room. “Mrs. Smoak, Mr. Queen,” she greets shaking both of their hands, “it’s good to see you both. I hear this is celebratory visit.” The smile she gives them is genuine and Felicity knows she is happy for them.

“If you’d like to hop up on here,” she jerks her head towards the table across the room, “we can go ahead and get started.

“Oh yes, we couldn’t be more excited.” Felicity gets up to climb onto the exam table with a little clap, leaving Oliver clearly unsure where to go, frozen in place, his arm hovering in the air even though it’s no longer resting on her shoulder.

“Mr. Queen, if you’d like to pull that stool over there near the head of the table, you are more than welcome to sit next to your wife.” Oliver’s eyes jerk up to the doctor, as she startles him out of his own thoughts.

Felicity can’t help but grin and suppress a giggle as her husband, the most confident and coordinated man she knows, awkwardly gets up and shuffles - actually _shuffles_ \- over to sit by her. She can see the apprehension all over his face. He has no idea what to expect, and bless his heart he is absolutely _adorable_ like this.

Feeling like she’s probably let him suffer in his uncertainty enough, Felicity grabs his hand with a reassuring smile. “You okay?” she whispers and he nods mutely in reply, his eyes still wide with unease.

“Okay, Felicity, how are things going? Do you know how far along you are? Have you had any pregnancy symptoms? Anything you’d like to discuss with me?”

“I’ve been feeling great. Well, I’ve been a little more tired than usual, but as I’m sure you’ve seen on the news, this one,” she jerks her thumb in Oliver’s direction, “gave me quite a scare last week.”

Dr. Jones chuckles at that, giving them a knowing look while Oliver, for his part, looks affronted. “I can imagine you’ve been under some extra stress in the past few days. You mentioned on the phone that you found out via some blood work you had done while you were at the hospital for your husband, correct?” Felicity nods.

“Okay, so that means you haven’t had your first ultrasound and we probably don’t have a great idea of how far along you are. Why don’t we go ahead and jump right in. If you’ll raise up your sweater, I’ll get the ultrasound ready.”

Now it’s Felicity who is a bundle of nerves as she situates her top and grabs for Oliver’s hand. The man in question has already moved closer, sensing what she needs before she can even ask, and places one of his hands in hers, the other giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze. Her eyes lock on his, and she can’t look away, each of them communicating everything they won’t say aloud until they are alone.

She feels the cool gel being smoothed on her stomach, but she’s drowning in her husband’s gaze, too focused on him to notice much else.

Suddenly an odd whooshing sound fills the little room, breaking them out of their bubble, both their heads jerking in the direction of the doctor. “What’s that?” they say in unison.

Dr. Jones smiles fondly. “That, is your baby’s heartbeat and it sounds great. Fast and strong.”

Felicity can feel his gaze on her and turns watery eyes to Oliver to find his crystal blue stare is also shiny. “ _Oliver_ ,” she breathes, gripping his hand tighter.

He nods, visibly choked up, and she marvels at this man, so brave and strong, rendered speechless by the sound of a baby’s heartbeat. Their baby - this tiny life they created together.

“If you’ll both watch the screen, I think we should be able to get a look at your little one.”

It takes more effort than she would care to admit to tear her eyes off of her husband and back towards the monitor, but when she does, she is met with the most incredible sight she has ever seen.

“Is that?” she breathes, her voice barely audible over the choking noise Oliver makes next to her.

“Yes it is.” Dr. Jones points out a small slightly blurry bean shape in the middle of the screen, and Felicity is sure she has never laid eyes on anything more beautiful. “This is your baby. You look to be about 9 weeks along.”

“Nine weeks!” Felicity can feel Oliver’s anxiety rush back in full force next to her, a note of panic creeping into his voice. “Shouldn’t we have known something before now?”

The doctor takes everything in stride, her voice full of understanding. “I don’t think there is anything to worry about, Mr. Queen. When she scheduled the appointment, your wife indicated that you had recently made the decision to stop using birth control. That can make a woman’s cycle unpredictable for a time. And, if you aren’t actively monitoring it, it’s fairly easy for a woman to miss a period and not notice.”

Oliver visible deflates next to her, the tension leaving his shoulders as they drop back down into a more relaxed pose, a held breath rushing from his lungs.

“Congratulations, you two. Everything looks perfect. I’ll go print you a picture of this and give you both a minute.”

As soon as the door clicks into place, Oliver gets his voice back. “ _God, Felicity. Wow._ I can’t believe it baby, it’s -- ”

“ _Amazing.”_ She finishes for him. “Oliver, can you believe we made that? I just…it’s one thing to see the blood results, but to _see_ it. To see our baby…it’s…” She trails off, unable to form words for the tears running down her cheeks.

“It’s everything.” Somehow he always knows the right thing to say. He brushes the tears from her cheeks, leaning down to kiss her softly, his strong hands so incredibly gentle as they cradle her face, and suddenly she can picture those same strong hands cradling their child.

“Thank you so much for this sweetheart. I’m so so happy.”

She sniffles a little, kissing him one more time. “Me too.”

When Dr. Jones hands Felicity the sonogram, she nearly starts crying again when her eyes land on the arrow that points to the tiny blur that is their baby. It reads “Baby Queen” and that makes her heart flutter for an entirely different reason, realizing that she and this baby will both share Oliver’s last name – both be undoubtedly _his_ – as soon as he files the paper work when he returns to work.

It takes entirely too much time to get back to the car, neither of them paying attention to where they are walking in favor of staring at the black and white photo they each got a copy of. They finally make it and Felicity knows Oliver is lost in a sea of bliss when he agrees to Big Belly Burger for lunch with no argument.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back at home, they spend a lazy afternoon snuggled together, a luxury they rarely have a chance to indulge in. The sonogram photos are never more than a few feet away, always within arm’s reach when they need another glimpse of the newest member of their family.

“When do you think we should tell everyone?” Oliver asks her during a commercial break on the show they are watching.

“I was thinking we could wait a while. Maybe until around twelve weeks? Just to make sure everything is still going okay. I wouldn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up too soon. It’s still early, you know?” She bites her lip, hoping he is okay with keeping this between them for the time being.

“Sure. I know things are more concrete the farther the pregnancy progresses. We can wait as long as you want. I kind of like just the two us knowing anyway. Our little secret.” He strokes her flat stomach for the umpteenth time today, and her heart melts just like it did every other time he did it.

When the front door opens, signaling William’s return from school, Oliver is already in the kitchen cooking dinner. He greats Oliver with a, “Hey Dad,” and a hug, shedding some light on just how much the last week affected him, despite how strong he’s been.

Felicity watches Oliver’s face light up as he bends down to squeeze his son back, feeling a surge of anticipation at the thought of getting to watch him be an amazing father to another child. He’s a natural.

He’s affectionate and loving, but still maintains the right amount of authority that to make sure William follows the rules. He listens, makes sure William knows how invested he is in his life. He’s caring and protective, and William always knows he’s safe and loved. He is everything her father wasn’t, everything she wants for her kids.

Felicity helps William with his homework – he doesn’t really need it, because this kid is amazingly smart – while Oliver cooks dinner, and they eat as family, even though William doesn’t know his new sibling is present.

After the kitchen is clean and the leftovers are put away, Oliver surprises everyone by suggesting they watch a movie. It’s a testament to how tuned in he is to William’s feelings because he hates sitting still for an entire film, but he knows William is eager to spend time with them after spending the week with Thea and Raisa.

As William picks a movie, and plops down on the couch, Felicity pulls Oliver aside. “I know what I said today, and I still think we should keep this mostly between us, but us includes William now. I think we should tell him about the baby. We know he can keep a secret, because his dad literally has a secret identity, and it just feels right. We promised we wouldn’t lie to him.”

Oliver’s face lights up. She could tell he was a little hesitant about keeping the baby from William but he let her make the call and she appreciated it. “I think that sounds great!” He picks her up – actually picks her up with broken ribs and a bum shoulder – and spins her around kissing her.

When he sets her back down she takes his hand, and they back to the living room together. Felicity looks up at Oliver, giving him a nod. He should get to deliver the news to William. They already missed out on so many milestones together, she will not be the one to take this one away.

He sits down next to their son on the couch, while she perches on the arm. “Hey buddy. Felicity and I need to talk to you about something.”

“O…kay?” Williams face is guarded, like he is extremely wary of what they might say. Which, she supposes, is pretty reasonable considering his parents are night-time vigilantes.

Oliver laughs, but it’s forced and awkward and she can tell he is nervous about how William will react. “Well, you see…um…Felicity…we are…” She lays a hand on his shoulder, trying to ground him. “Honey, it’s probably best to just come out with it,” she whispers in his ear.

He huffs out a steadying breath before starting over. “William, Felicity is pregnant. We are having a baby.” She’s feels his shoulder tense under her fingers as he waits for William’s reaction.

William seems to mull it over for a moment, before his mouth stretches into a grin. “Really? I’m getting a sibling? Is it a boy or a girl?”

Oliver’s muscles relax in relief his smile matching William’s, and they look so much alike. “We won’t know for a while longer if it’s a boy or a girl, but we are very excited.” He glances back at Felicity, his smile lighting up his gorgeous blue eyes, and he’s so beautiful in that moment, she can’t help but lean down and kiss his smile.

“Now William,” she starts, wrapping her arms around her husband’s next from behind, resting he chin on his head to look at their son. “We just want to keep this between us for the time being. It’s still very new, so just you, me, and your dad know about this little secret. Okay?”

The boy in question is physically bouncing with glee. “Sure Felicity! I can keep a secret. I’ve always wanted a baby brother. Or sister. Doesn’t really matter. It has always been just me. When will they be born?” He cocks his head, taking Felicity in more carefully this time. “You don’t look very pregnant, Felicity.”

She laughs out loud at that. “Why thank you. It’s still very early. You’ll have to wait around 8 months or so before we have a little one keeping us up all night.”

That information doesn’t seem to deter him in the slightest. “This is going to be awesome! Dad, when it’s time to tell, can I tell Aunt Thea?”

She knows Oliver would like to be the one to tell his sister, but the look on William’s face is filled with such joy, she knows Oliver won’t be able to resist.

“Sure. I’m glad you’re excited. I want you to know that Felicity and I love you so much, and a new baby in the family will not change that. Your place in this family is secure okay?”

“I know Dad. I’m happy for all of us. It’s going to be really cool...You guys still want to watch a movie?” He flops back on to the cushions, his smile still in place.

Felicity curls up in Oliver’s lap where he sits in one of the armchairs, her head tucked under his chin, his arms cradling her to his chest, hands smoothing up and down her back. She’s not really watching the screen, her face buried in Oliver’s neck as she drinks in his presence. She feels so calm and safe and cherished as he holds her, and there’s nowhere else she would rather be.

Felicity and William both fall asleep before the movie is over, and Oliver carries her to their bed, snuggling her under the covers, before heading back into the living room and doing the same for their boy – an act that gets him a scolding from his wife, because there is no way his body is in any shape to be hauling people around the house.

He shrugs her off good-naturedly, assuring her than she and William feel light as feathers in his arms, before pulling her back out of bed and into the bathroom. They brush their teeth side by side, hips and elbows bumping one another’s, before she cleans and redresses his wounds.

When they are ready for bed and getting settled under the blankets, Felicity realizes she hasn’t felt anxious or panicky all day, and silently thanks her perfect little family for giving her a sense of peace today, hoping that the worst of her fears are over.

She falls asleep wrapped up in Oliver again, one of her hands laced through the fingers of his that rests over her abdomen, protecting them both even as he sleeps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I have so much more planned, with some angst starting in one of the next couple updates.
> 
> Let me know what you think, and if you're still interested in seeing where this story can go!


	13. Chapter 13

On Oliver’s first day back at work, he wakes happily with Felicity in his arms, as usual. She is still in the process of getting her company up and running, so she doesn’t have to get up as early as he does to get to work. Knowing that his wife has never been and will never be a morning person, Oliver let’s her sleep, quietly slipping out of bed, cocooning her back under the covers.

What Felicity refers to as his “ninja skills” are put to good use as he softly shuts the door and heads down the hall to make sure William is awake and getting ready for school before sneaking back through their room and jumping in the shower.

He’s halfway through rinsing shampoo out of his hair when a scream of terror has him frozen in place.

A gasp, followed by a frantic shout of “Oliver!” has him rushing out of the shower, sopping wet, naked as the day he was born. As he skids to a stop just inside the bedroom, he quickly does a threat assessment of the room. Not understanding where the danger is coming from, he looks to his wife.

Felicity is biting her lip, her face flush with embarrassment, unabashedly ogling his naked, dripping body. “Felicity! What’s going on? What’s wrong?”

She won’t meet his eyes as she quietly says, “Nothing. It’s stupid. I’m sorry.”

Reaching back into the bathroom to grab his towel and wrap it around his waist, Oliver pads over to plop down on the edge of the bed next to her. “Sweetheart, what happened? I heard you call for me. Talk to me.” He puts his hand on her chin, tilting her head to look him in the eye. “What’s got you all worked up?”

She huffs out a sigh of frustration, but the look in her eyes tells him that she isn’t going to keep this from him. “I just…I don’t remember what I was dreaming about. Everything is so fuzzy, but I know it wasn’t good. I woke up scared from…I don’t know what exactly, but I reached for you and you weren’t there and I just…panicked a little. I’m sorry.”

“Honey, you don’t ever have to be sorry for needing me. I’m sorry I wasn’t here, I’m here now.” He gathers her in his arms, raining kisses all across the crown of her head.

“I need to go finish my shower so I’m not late for work, care to join me?” It’s probably not the best way to comfort her right now, but it’s his first day back after 10 days out of the office and he really doesn’t want to be late. Plus, showers with Felicity never disappoint.

She shakes her head, pulling out of his embrace and nudging him off the bed and toward the shower. “I’ll go check on William. You go…” She trails off, waving her hand in the direction of the bathroom.

Her sudden withdrawal surprises him, but sometimes he needs space to get his head straight after a nightmare so he decides to let it slide and finishes his shower, regrettably alone.

After he’s dressed for work – with Felicity’s help on his tie – and they’ve told William goodbye, Oliver has time for a cup of coffee with his wife. The one cup per day she is now allowing herself since the news of the baby is sacred.

Oliver smiles affectionately at his wife as she hums in contentment over her steaming mug. “Do you have anything big for the company planned today?”

She glances up from her tablet, shrugging her shoulders noncommittally. “Not really. I’m going to try to call all of the potential investors I had lined up from before. Let them know I’ve decided to go in a different direction on my own. I’m not sure how they will react now that Curtis isn’t involved. It’s hard to get people to picture a young blonde woman as a tech mogul and CEO.”

“Hey.” He places a hand on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Anyone who could meet you and not see what a brilliant, badass CEO you are going to be, doesn’t deserve to own stock in your company.”

Her smile is small, not quite reaching her eyes, and he again notices that she seems a bit detached. “Honey? Is everything alright? You seem a little upset.”

Felicity glances back down at her tablet pretending to be engrossed in whatever it is she is doing on there, but he knows her and he can recognize her defense mechanisms from a mile away. “Hmmm? No, I’m fine. Just a little headache is all.”

Her eyes shift over his shoulder, looking at the clock he knows is there. “Oh! You better get going. You’re going to be late for your first day back at work.” With that she leans over and kisses him on the cheek, shooing him to the door.

He barely has a chance to say I love you before she’s pushed him out into the hallway. Thoroughly perplexed, Oliver shakes his head, punching the button in the elevator for the parking garage. His face is arranged into a confused frown as he tries to decipher his wife’s strange behavior.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She has been on edge all morning. It started when she woke up screaming for Oliver from a nightmare she can’t – or won’t – remember, and it’s been growing ever since. Oliver has been at work just over three hours and Felicity feels like she is going to crawl out of her skin.

This is so unlike her, but she can’t seem to shake this anxious feeling that has been eating at her since Oliver was released from the hospital. She supposes it’s a normal response to your husband almost dying, but her life is far from normal, and her husband cheats death on an almost weekly basis.

Each time he gets hurt, it takes a toll on her. Nights when he comes back into the bunker limping instead of making his way swiftly and gracefully into her arms remind her how dangerous their job is. She wouldn’t change one single thing about their lives together, but loving a hero has never been a walk in the park.

She just can’t seem to place why this time is different. Maybe because this is the closest he’s been in a while, maybe because he was hurt saving her this time, maybe because they have two lives depending on them now. Whatever the case may be, Felicity can barely stand having her husband out of her sight.

This anxiety had been easy enough to quell in the three days he’d had to stay home on the doctor’s orders – she simply didn’t leave Oliver’s side. He probably noticed how clingy she was being, but Oliver is all action and tactility, so he would never complain about her touching him even more than usual – and really, she touches him _a lot_ already anyway because, hello muscles and scruff and _Oliver_ , so maybe he didn’t notice after all.

But none of that matters now that she’s here, pacing their apartment alone, unable to get anything done thanks to the never ending string of potential catastrophes her mind keeps bringing up. So she’s left with nothing to do but pace and think about how not-okay her husband might be.

She tried to call investors, but after the first one had to break her out of an internal spiral of worry, and she punched in the number for the second one wrong three times in a row, she decided no work was better than lousy work. So, she’s pacing, probably wearing a line of footprints in the very nice floors of the home Oliver picked out with she and William in mind.

Felicity has never been one to sit back and let life run its course though, so after half an hour of pacing, she takes action. Instead of sitting around worrying, she steps into her favorite red pumps, grabs her purse, and heads down to her car. Yes, action is what she needs. And Oliver, she definitely needs Oliver.

She makes it to city hall in record time, something she doesn’t plan on mentioning to Oliver – he hates when she drives fast. Waving at the Mike at the security desk as she passes, she heads straight for the elevator.

When she steps off on his floor, she goes right for his secretary. “Hi, Anna,” she says brightly, already feeling the tightness in her chest easing now that her husband is nearby. “Is Oliver available? I just dropped by on short notice, so if he’s busy I understand.”

“Let me check Mrs. Smoak – ”

“It’s Queen actually.” At least it will be soon, she silently adds.

“My apologies, Mrs. Queen. His schedule is really full today. He asked me to schedule him meetings with as many council members and committees as possible on his first day back so he wouldn’t be too behind on work. If this is important, I’d be happy to go and get him. Mayor Queen makes it very clear that family is his number one priority and I am always to interrupt him in the event that you or your son needs him.”

Felicity’s shoulders fall and she can feel her face rearranging in defeat as she realizes seeing Oliver right now is not in the cards for today. This remarkable man is working so hard to make the city better and she doesn’t have the heart to interrupt, even as she feels the unease that had lessened with proximity to him beginning to creep back in.

“That’s okay, Anna. I was just…in the neighborhood and thought I’d drop in to see how his first day back was going. I should have known he’d wouldn’t ease in to things,” she lies, her accompanying laugh coming out a bit forced.

She is just turning to leave, contemplating hacking into the security cameras from the parking garage rather than leave without so much as a glimpse of her husband, when a door opens behind her. Her finger is hovering over the down arrow for the elevator when she hears, “Felicity? Excuse me councilman, my wife,” in a familiar timbre that has relief racing through her veins, her tense posture suddenly relaxing.

She turns with a shy smile and is met with a confused – albeit pleasantly surprised – look on the most handsome face she’s ever laid eyes on. “Hi honey,” he says placing a practiced kiss on her temple. “Did we have lunch plans today?”

“Um…no I…I was just dropping in to say hi. Anna told me how busy you are, though. I don’t want to interrupt, so I’ll let you get back to work.” She goes to pull her hand out of his, not having realized he was holding it in the first place, but he holds her back.

The puzzled crease between his brows is distinct as he leads her to his office. “I always have time for you. Anna, push my next meeting to tomorrow. I have some family matters to attend to.”

She hears Anna call back, “Of course, Mayor Queen,” before he shuts and locks his office door behind them. He strides across the room, settling back against the edge of his desk, hands gripping the wood on either side of his hips.

One of his deep calming breaths is all the time she has to prepare before he starts. “Fe-li-ci-ty, what is going on with you? And don’t say nothing, because I know you. You woke up screaming my name, and then you hardly looked at me for the rest of morning. And now you’re just _dropping in_ when I know you were planning on working from home today.”

“It’s really nothing Oliver. I was just in the neighborhood and wanted to see you. We’ve spent all day together the last three days. Am I not allowed to miss my husband when he goes back to work?”

He stares at her for a full 20 seconds before he sighs, pushing off the desk, signaling his decision to let her lie go and play along for the time being. They both know he’s giving her a pass and she appreciates it deeply because she is not ready to talk about how she’s feeling right now.

“Of course you are. I missed you too. I’m glad you’re here. Since Anna moved my meeting I have time to grab some lunch if you want.” Strong arms envelop her suddenly, and that sense of peace she only feels in his embrace washes over her. “I really am glad you’re here you know,” he whispers against her hair.

“I know,” she mumbles into his chest, grateful that, for now at least, he’s not pushing for answers. “Let’s go eat. This child of yours is starving.”

He chuckles, taking her hand and kissing her temple again before towing her along with him to the elevator. “Oh so it’s _my child_ when they are causing trouble is that right?” She giggles, his calming presence seeping into her, feeling more like herself than she has all morning.

She waves goodbye to Mike on the way out the door, content to follow anywhere Oliver Queen leads.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks for reading, and let me know what you think!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think this is one we have been waiting for...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTES: You'll notice this is where I'm really starting to move away from the events of the actual show. Some things will be similar, but from this point on, anything that doesn't coincide with the show is intentional.

Oliver’s first week back at work has been a doozy. He is certain he has never had this many meetings to attend, documents to sign, or officials to schmooze in his life.

The city is still in shambles after Cayden James held it hostage for so long, and, while saving not-Laurel from the newbies convinced her to give the city its money back, many people are still questioning Oliver’s ability to lead.

He has been working tirelessly all week, meeting with every single person he and Quentin could think of, trying to convince them that he is the man for the job. He’s also been personally vetting (with the help of Felicity) every person that works for the city. It became apparent after James’s death that Diaz has people on the inside. Oliver just needs to determine who.

All in all, he is ready for this week to end. The only bright spot he had was finally filing the paperwork to make Felicity legally Mrs. Felicity Queen. The thought still sends a thrill through him, along with a stab of pride, knowing she will wear his name for the rest of her life.

It’s not that he really minded when she didn’t want to change her name. Honestly, knowing his wife like he does, he had expected as much. She is modern and independent and wants to make her own way and Oliver has always respected that about his Felicity, even before he was in love with her. But Oliver has always been somewhat traditional when it comes to things such as this and, though he would never have pushed Felicity to become a Queen, he could not be happier with her decision.

There is also a jealous side of himself – a part he is not overly proud of – that revels in Felicity publicly marking herself as his.

What should have been a second bright spot in his week was the fact that Felicity showed up at his office unannounced every single day. Normally, just one surprise visit from his wife would be enough to be the highlight of Oliver’s week, but he can’t help the feeling like something is off.

Felicity has not been acting like herself. She fluctuates between overly quiet and reserved to over compensating for her distance by talking even more than usual. Half the time that they are together it’s like she can’t keep her hands off of him, clinging to him like he is her life line. It’s the other half – the half that ,when he tries to have a serious conversation with her, shuts him out turning into herself instead of to him like she usually does – that’s got him worried.

On top of all of that, she is constantly on edge. He can see it in her posture – the line of her shoulders too square, back too straight. When he gets up to leave a room she stiffens, and when he walks back in she flinches. She hasn’t been sleeping well, constantly restless, tossing and turning next to him most nights. And when she does sleep, she holds on to him so tightly that he has woken up with bruises on his forearm on two occasions.

So, Felicity showing up to his office 5 days in a row, without actually making plans with him in advance has Oliver even more worried about her. He can tell she relaxes when he’s around, but that does little to quell his fears when she pulls away from anytime the conversation turns heavy.

The only thing that makes sense is that she is having second thoughts about their baby, and that thought terrifies Oliver. He already loves this tiny, unborn human so much, and he can’t stand the thought of losing them before he ever gets the chance to really meet them.

Really none of the explanations in his head add up. He saw Felicity’s face when she told him they were pregnant. They talked about wanting to try for baby before she went off of birth control and he felt her joy as if it was his own when they saw the tiny little ball of life on the ultrasound last weekend. It’s unfathomable why she would be having second thoughts now.

The thought that keeps creeping back into Oliver’s mind is that her hesitation is not so much with the baby, but with him, that she’s doubting his ability to be a good father. She didn’t get a choice with William, because legally Oliver has rights that Felicity doesn’t, but with a child they both conceived…Felicity would have the right to take this baby away from him, or at least she would have the right to try.

This feeling that the love of his life doesn’t trust him to be a good parent to their child? It makes Oliver’s skin crawl and his stomach turn. He’s barely eaten all week, barely slept, and it’s starting to catch up to him. He doesn’t know what to do. He and Felicity always solve problems together. They talk to each other, comfort one another, compromise when they don’t agree. If Felicity refuses to talk to him, they will just stay locked in this vicious cycle.

As he starts to gather his things to head home, there is a knock on his office door. Anna pops her head in, a slightly frazzled look taking over her usually kind features. “Mayor Queen, you have a visitor. I know you’re getting ready to leave for the evening, but he says its urgent.”

Oliver sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face. He really just wants to get home to Felicity. He needs to get whatever is going on between them out in the open or he won’t be able to function much longer.

“Thanks Anna. Go ahead and send them in, and then you can head home. We’ve had a long week.”

The door starts to close before a new hand grips the handle, pulling it back open, and when he sees who the visitor is, Oliver instantly regrets telling Anna to let him in.

“Let me explain,” the familiar voice starts, and Oliver’s blood is instantly boiling.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve coming here,” he growls, before barking out a bitter laugh.

“Actually, I take that back. You don’t have any. This is a coward’s move, confronting me in a public place where you know I can’t hurt you. Taking a page out of Cayden James’s book I see.”

Rene raises his hands in what he probably means to be a nonthreatening gesture, but Oliver is already on edge and the other man’s movement only amplifies his body’s instinct to fight.

Reaching under the edge of his desk, he presses the button Felicity had installed, replacing the security feed in his office with a loop of him working, the live feed rerouted directly to Felicity’s personal servers.

He stalks up to Rene like a lion approaching its prey and with every stride Oliver takes toward him, Rene reciprocates with a step backward in retreat. His reaction gives Oliver a primal sense of satisfaction. They continue in the dangerous dance until Oliver has backed Rene against his office door. He reaches past him, clicking the lock into place before he takes action.

One moment Rene is cowering – though still trying to keep his arrogant façade in place – up at Oliver’s menacing sneer, and the next he is being lifted by the collar of his shirt, pressed into the door, his face an inch from an expression so murderous, it rivals that of the Green Arrow himself.

“Why did you come here?” Oliver’s voice is so low, he’s not even sure if Rene can hear him, but he can’t bring himself to care. His rage, usually so well controlled, is fighting to be unleashed and it’s all he can do to keep it just below the surface.

Rene sputters for a minute, much to Oliver’s delight, before he answers, “I just came to thank you. For what you said to the press. Thanks for not outing me, I know you could have.”

Oliver laughs in his face, a bitter, malicious sound. “I didn’t do any of that for you. You don’t deserve my mercy after what you did, continue to do, to my family. Unlike you, I wanted to give your child the consideration you didn’t give mine. I would be no better than you if I tried to send you to jail and left Zoe parentless. She is not the one who should answer for her father’s choices, and I will not be responsible of depriving any child from having a parent to care for them.”

He sees the look on Rene’s face, sees the guilt there, the self-blame and he’s glad for it. This man needs to start realizing there are consequences for his actions. “I don’t know what to say man. For the record, I’m sorry you got hurt, my intention was never to hurt you guys.”

Just when Oliver thought he had gotten his fury under control, it comes back with a force so great, he is powerless to stop it. His vision turns red, and he is so grateful that his office is sound-proofed as the he finally erupts.

“YOU’RE SORRY? YOU DIDN’T _MEAN TO?_ All you have done for weeks is deliberately take shots at my family, figuratively and literally. You gave me up to the FBI, putting my son and my wife at risk. Your team caused additional nerve damage in John’s already injured arm just because you are _too incompetent_ to successfully tail someone. And the cherry on top was when you _pointed and_ _fired a GUN at my WIFE._ My wife, who is a civilian.”

Rene is starting to get defensive again, an especially stupid plan given his current predicament. “She isn’t a civilian, Hoss. She’s just as guilty as the rest of you.”

That’s the final straw. Oliver lifts Rene with one arm and throws him to the ground, as if he is nothing more than a rag doll. “SHE WAS UNARMED!” He lets his rage flow through him, finally relinquishing the last shred of control he had left, as punches begin to rain.

Rene is teetering on the edge of consciousness, his lip busted, nose broken, shoulder more than likely dislocated, when Oliver thinks of Felicity and William, and what they would think of him in this moment, what would happen to them if he went to jail for killing a man at city hall. Oliver wants Rene to pay, to _die_ , for what he has done to his family, but he is not that man anymore.

Looking down and his bloody knuckles, Oliver struggles to get the monster inside of him back under control. His voice is a deadly whisper as pulls himself off of Rene, forcibly shoving the battered man aside. “She was unarmed, and she is pregnant. You tried to kill my wife and child in one fell swoop, you ignorant bastard.” He spits the words, turning away momentarily to ground himself.

For his part, Rene at least has the sense to seem shocked, if not a bit disgusted by this new bit of information. “Oh my God, I didn’t — ” he starts but Oliver doesn’t let him finish.

“Get. Out,” he snarls, one again advancing on Rene. “Your time as a vigilante in this city is over. We protect the innocent, not endanger them. I know Felicity told you to get out of town, and if I were you, I’d listen.”

Rene’s mouth opens again like he is about to apologize, but he only gets out, “I’m so so—”  before Oliver stops him with a look so bloodthirsty, it sends a tremor through the smaller man as Oliver looms over him.

His voice is harsh and deadly, a low undertone ground out through clenched teeth as he wills himself not to strike Rene again.

“Let me make myself abundantly clear. The only reason you even had the chance to fire that gun is because I exercised restraint so that all three of you didn’t end up in the hospital or dead. That was obviously a mistake, one I don’t plan to make again.”

This time when Oliver pauses, Rene stays quiet, his ego finally ebbing and giving way to regret as the gravity of what happened registers at long last. “If I see your face again – in a place where you aren’t protected by my status as mayor and the security right outside that door – I don’t think I’ll able to stop myself. I’m not sure I’ll even try. You almost killed my wife and child. I’ve killed people for much less. Get out of my sight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks for taking the time to read!
> 
> Drop me a comment about what you think if you are so inclined :)


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to get this one up. I had finals last week, and graduation over the weekend, but now that I'm on summer break, I'm hoping to have more time to work on this story. Hopefully there are still people interested.

Felicity flinches from her spot on the couch when the front door slams behind her. Oliver stomps in – that’s the only way to describe the volume of his usually silent footsteps and walks straight past her to their bedroom, slamming that door for good measure.

She really needs to talk with him, she realizes. He’s had a decidedly terrible week, and having to walk on eggshells around his wife is not helping ease his mind. She’s been telling herself for days that things will get better; there’s no need to worry him. But her anxious thoughts and panicky demeanor have only worsened over the week, which explains why she was sitting on the couch awaiting Oliver’s return, unable to accomplish anything, his nearness the only thing that grants her relief.

This perpetual fear has definitely taken a toll on her, but she should have seen how it would affect Oliver, should have realized that she was giving him one more thing to worry and brood about. Still, she doesn’t have a clue what could have gotten into him…Oliver rarely lets this side out around her.

Sure, she’s seen the aftermath: bloody knuckles, bags under his eyes, whatever lair they’re using in disarray as the mixture of pressure and anger inside of him reaches a boiling point. He always does it alone, takes his space, like he doesn’t want her to see that he’s human too, that he doesn’t always have the control he so craves.

That’s what makes Felicity decide to check on him, knowing she’ll find him head in hand, deep into a full brood. She’s startled again when the bedroom door flies back open, Oliver marching out in jeans and a t-shirt, heading straight for the door.

She turns, hands on her hips. “Hi honey, I’m glad you’re home, I missed you today too.”  He pauses at her words, but doesn’t turn around, and now she is getting frustrated. “Um, hello? Did you forget you have a _wife_ that lives here?”

He finally turns, taking her in as she taps her foot and crosses her arms, daring him to leave without answering her. At the lift of her eyebrow, he lets out a deep breath and hangs his head. “I’m sorry, it’s been a rough day today. I just need to go to the bunker and let off some steam. I probably won’t be home for dinner, but there are enough leftovers in he fridge for you and William.”

He turns to leave, but stops himself at the door to look over his shoulder at her, meeting her eyes for the first time since he left for work this morning. His expression troubles her. He looks thoroughly disheartened, and she runs her eyes over his body, carefully examining him. His shoulders are drooping low, his hair tousled from running his hands through it one too many times, and his knuckles, she now notices, are swollen and bloody.

“Oliver what—” she moves to go to him, but he stops her, his hand twisting the knob. “I love you, I’ll see you later. Don’t wait up.” And with that he is gone. At least this time he doesn’t slam the door.

What on earth has gotten into him? She hasn’t seen Oliver this distant in a long time. The last time she remembers it was in Central City, when she had told him she didn’t want to marry him. And now that she thinks of it, he had that same rejected, broken look in eyes just now.

Felicity knows she’s been a little erratic in her mood swings this week, but she can’t think of anything she could have done to make Oliver feel rejected by her. She kisses him goodbye every morning, cleans and rebandages his wounds every evening, and wraps herself up in him as tightly as possible when they go to sleep. She’s sure she’s told him she loved him regularly.

An alert on her tablet brings her out of her internal musings, and she goes to grab it from the couch, unlocking the numerous encryptions she has guarding it from anyone who isn’t involved in her nighttime activities. Her head tilts in confusion when she sees that it’s downloading footage from City Hall, via the rerouting technology she installed in Oliver’s office in case of emergency.

When the footage loads, she understands his mood, and his injured knuckles. Rene is standing just inside Oliver’s office, looking as cavalier as ever. She turns the volume up and watches the scene unfold, a stab of pride and something much more carnal slicing through her at the way he commands the room, towering over Rene.

She is surprised at how much satisfaction it brings her to watch Oliver wipe – or rather punch – the smug look off of Rene’s face. His voice so low, so animalistic as he makes sure Rene knows he will do whatever it takes to protect his wife and children, igniting a fire low in her belly and replacing some of the panic that constantly resides there.

When the feed ends, she realizes that she should have gone with Oliver. In the state he is in, he can’t be trusted to make rational decisions regarding his own safety. What she initially thought was a trip to the bunker to sharpen arrows or practice with his bow could quickly turn into him working his still-healing body to its breaking point. Worse, with the emotions that are currently swarming inside of him, she wouldn’t put it past him to hit the streets, his physical condition the least of his concerns.

Snatching up her phone and keys, Felicity steps into her heels and races to her car. She calls Raisa in the elevator, asking her to please get William after baseball practice, hoping she isn’t too late to talk some sense into her husband.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He had really intended to just let off some steam. As much as Felicity, John and Thea like to tease him about it, a good brood always eases Oliver’s mind. He thought he could take some space, get his head on straight, and figure out how to approach the issue with Felicity, all while making some new arrows, or doing some of the exercises the doctor had given him to get his arm back in full working condition.

Then Rene had come to his office, and Oliver cracked. All of the tension, pressure, anxiety, and guilt he had been carrying around this week was finally more than he could handle, and he just snapped, like a rubber band stretched too thin. And now he can’t think. There are too many thoughts in his mind, too many emotions.

He is worried about Felicity, afraid she doesn’t want him in their baby’s life. He is at a loss for how to gain back the city’s trust, while also trying to weed out Ricardo Diaz’s minions on the inside. There is no good option to deal with the fiasco that is Quentin’s relationship with Black Siren. On top of all of that, he’s half feeling guilty for the way he roughed up Rene this afternoon, while the other half wishes he would have just killed him like he deserves.

So, Oliver showed up at the bunker, overrun with fear and confusion and anger and guilt and a crushing sense of responsibility to repair everything that is currently broken. Which is why he is now lying on the cold concrete, his arm throbbing, his knuckles oozing blood, worrying he may have popped a stitch or too on his chest wound. All of the punching and kicking did little to quell the turmoil inside of him, still threatening to bury him alive if he doesn’t find a way to ease it soon.

When an alert on one of Felicity’s computers dings, he knows he should ignore it. He’s in no shape to hit the streets, he has no backup, and if he makes it back alive, Felicity will murder him for gong out alone. But Oliver has never been good at dealing with his emotions in a healthy, rational manner, so he heaves his aching body off the floor and over to Overwatch’s station.

There is a drug deal taking place close by, in a neighborhood run by Diaz and it’s an opportunity for intel he can’t pass up. He considers calling Felicity, but then he thinks of how they’ve been at odds, how much talking they have left to do and decides against it. He does wear his comm out though, so that in the event that something goes very wrong, his location will be noted and sent it back to her servers.

Oliver takes his motorcycle, the bumpy ride less than enjoyable as it jostles his still healing body, and makes it to the location in record time – another thing Felicity would be angry about if she were here; she always says he drives too recklessly.

From his perch atop a nearby building, Oliver watches the whole thing go down, silently gaining recon, with no intention of intervening. That is, until he overhears one of the lackeys mention what exactly the drug is that they are selling.

_Vertigo._

At that moment, everything changes. He pictures all of the damage Vertigo has done to this city, to people he loves, and he doesn’t think, just acts on instinct.

Oliver is throwing punches before he has time to catch up with the decision he just made. He takes two of the guards down with fists and elbows, a swift kick to a third rendering him unconscious. When two more men down the alley start toward him, they each get an arrow to a leg as Oliver runs toward the Vertigo supply.

It’s when he reaches the truck that he truly realizes his mistake. He is outnumbered twenty to one, and he has no backup, no one even on comms, his already injured body in no shape to take on a fight of this size.

As they surround him, he searches for an escape, and finding none, he readies himself for the fight ahead, a fight he may not make it out of. “I’m sorry Felicity,” he whispers.

An intake of breath sounds in his ear and then he hears the most beautiful sound in the world. “We will talk about how much trouble you’re in when you get back, mister. Now, from what I can see, only eight of these meatheads have actual weapons, the other 12 you can out match in your sleep when you’re healthy. Take down the ones that are armed first. John is two minutes out.”

“Overwatch?”

“I’m here. Be careful. You have no business being in the field in the state you’re in.”

He is about to say something in reply. He knows, he’s sorry, he loves her, but then the first henchman makes his move and the fight is on.

The first five go down without much of a fight, the next two only proving slightly more difficult. It’s while he’s fighting numbers eight, nine, and ten all at once that he starts to wonder where John is. His body can’t take much more, and he is in desperate need of some back up.

For her part, Felicity stays mostly quiet, knowing he needs to focus in a fight, offering a helpful warning here or there when he doesn’t see a threat coming from behind him.

Three men at once, with his body in the condition it’s in, is going as well as can be expected, until one of men catches him off guard landing a kick square to his chest. It sends him down immediately, his comm tumbling out of his ear, getting crushed by a boot in the process. With Felicity’s calming presence gone, his backup nowhere to be found, his chest wound opening back up, Oliver yanks himself back to his feet. He has never been one to go down without a fight.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Felicity has been on edge since the moment she realized something was going on with Oliver. She sped to the bunker breaking every traffic law in the process and called John on her way. When she sat down at her station and discovered where her husband was, she called John back, sending him Oliver’s location with the instructions that he needed backup _yesterday._

She pulls up video feed from a nearby security camera and switches on the comms and the sight that meets her eyes is straight out of the nightmares she’s been having all week.

Oliver is surrounded by at least twenty men, a sight that would worry her when he is in tip top shape. But this, seeing Oliver surrounded, with no backup, his body injured and in no condition for fieldwork? It’s enough to send adrenaline racing through her blood as terror seizes her.

When she hears him whisper, “I’m sorry Felicity,” to himself, she launches into action, giving orders, being his eyes and ears, doing her best to get her man home safe.

Things seem to be going as well as expected giving the predicament they have found themselves in – _where on earth is John?_ – when Felicity’s world turns on its head for the second time in two weeks.

Oliver is caught off guard for a split second, just long enough for a boot to collide with his chest, right where she knows he has a still-healing bullet wound and broken ribs. He drops on contact, and she hears the interference as his comm flies out of his ear, no one left to hear her cry out his name.

They are closing in on him, and he’s struggling to get back up, and she knows this is it. She is going to have to watch him die. She is about to become a widow, a single mother of two.

A couple more kicks to his abdomen and he’s down again, his body completely still and she can only pray he is unconscious during what is to come. She’s sobbing, her blurry vision making it impossible to see the buttons on her phone, to call John and beg him to save Oliver.

Suddenly men start to drop on her screen, and she recognizes the telltale signs of bodies dodging bullets. The last thing she sees before stray gunfire knocks out her video feed is her husband’s lifeless body lying in the crossfire.

With a sob, Felicity collapses to the ground and as her world begins to crumble around her, she breaks down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back again! From now on, I am considering this fic to be an alternate ending to season 6 starting with 6x14. After the finale, I am 100% positive that this story line will not converge back with the events of the rest of the season.

When Oliver comes to, he finds himself lying beneath a sea of gunfire, every part of him in excruciating pain. He goes to get up, but finds he can’t put weight on one of his legs, and his shoulder with the healing bullet wound is definitely hurting worse than it was when he left the bunker.

He slowly turns his head, assessing the situation. It seems as though the men surrounding him on the ground are some of Diaz’s and he briefly wonders if there’s another big bad in town, if he’s found himself as grand prize in a drug dealer turf war.

The gunfire is slowing, just enough that he feels confident he has a shot to make it out of here, and he reaches for his bow. Slowly, so as not to alert the last few standing that he is alive, conscious, and about to put up a fight, he nocks an arrow and rolls on to his back, aiming toward the first shooter.

He has his weapon trained on the enemy, about to release the bow string, to send an arrow right into the man’s leg, when the other shooter speaks. “He’s alive!”

In Oliver’s expert opinion, the voice sounds much too excited by this revelation, considering he is the man they are trying to kill. Directing his focus back to the first shooter, he again readies his bow. Oliver pauses on the drawback, the familiarity of the voice finally registering.

He sits up further, jerking his head back towards the voice, and finds the owner walking toward him, weapon lowered. “Lyla?”

She slips her helmet off as she reaches him, crouching down to his level. “You look like hell,” she comments, kissing him on the cheek before, “Johnny! Get over here. I can’t lift him.”

Diggs picks his way through the bodies littering the alley and stops next to Oliver’s legs, bending over and hauling him to his feet. “We need to get moving. Van’s this way,” John says by way of greeting.

The upright position highlights the shape his body is in. Stinging, stabbing, and shooting pains traverse his entire form, and he’s finding it difficult to breathe. He sways as John lets go, but his friend catches him, wrapping his arm underneath Oliver’s and assisting him to their escape. “What happened?”

“I could ask you the same thing man. What the hell were you thinking? You have no business being out in the field, especially since your only backup has one good arm. You’re lucky I had the forethought to bring Lyla with me or we wouldn’t have made it out of there.”

Oliver gives John a grateful look, looking to his right and acknowledging Lyla for the first time, giving her the same nod of thanks. “I know. I don’t know what I was thinking. I just…things have been rough lately, not that that’s any excuse. I only planned to do recon but sitting on the sidelines has never been easy for me.”

That earns him a snort from John and an impressive eye roll from Lyla. “Thanks for saving my ass you guys. Really. I didn’t think I was going to make it out this time.”

Digg sighs, helping Oliver into the van. “You know I’ll always have your back man, but you have to let me. You should have called me. You’ve got to be more careful. You have a family, a wife and son who are counting on you to get home.”

Oliver can feel the guilt beginning to eat at him as he thinks about what could have been lost tonight. His promise to William enters the forefront of his mind. He let his son down. Again. And Felicity. His _wife._ The mother of his unborn child. He almost left her alone. And for what? Because he had a bad day?

He hangs his head in shame, scrubbing his hands over his face. “I know. I know that. I don’t know what came over me today. How is Felicity? I lost my comm in the fight, but I’m sure she’s furious.”

The look John gives him has Oliver instantly on edge, the hair on the back of his neck rising, his muscles gearing up for a fight, despite the fact that he can barely move on his own. “ _John,_ ” he warns. “How. Is. Felicity.”

“I haven’t been able to reach her for the last twenty minutes or so.”

Terror immediately rushes through Oliver, his blood running cold.

“Drive faster! How far out are we? I need to be back there NOW,” he snaps.

Lyla gives John a meaningful look before he meets Oliver’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “Oliver, man, she was in the bunker when she called me. I’m sure she’s alright. She’s probably just really pissed at you and needed some time to cool down.”

“No, Digg. You don’t understand. Felicity is _pregnant_. What if something happened? What if she needs to go to the hospital? I have to get back NOW.” He’s yelling, unleashing his fears on his partner, but he can’t seem to care at the moment.

Lyla lets out a strangled sound in shock, and he feels the vehicle lurch forward under his orders as Diggle presses the gas harder, the new knowledge of the baby increasing his urgency. They are taking turns on two wheels, as all of them let their concern for Felicity take over all other thoughts.

Oliver’s mind is dredging up every worst case scenario he can think of. Diaz broke into the lair, Black Siren broke into the lair, something happened with William and she rushed out without her phone, heaven forbid something is wrong with the baby. Is Felicity injured? Is she even there? She’s alive. He knows in his heart she is alive. She can’t die. He won’t let her. He won’t survive it.

When the van slams to a stop in the garage of the bunker, Oliver is already out. “John! You and Lyla do a perimeter sweep,” he orders, not even pausing to look back at them, knowing he can trust his partner while he worries about his wife. 

His entire body is protesting, and he knows his partially healed ribs are broken again, his chest wound reopened, his bad knee throbbing so much that he’s sure he dislocated it again, but despite all of that, he _runs_ toward where he hopes to find his wife.

He skids to a stop when he reaches the main room, at the base of the stairs heading up to her station. That’s when he sees her. _Felicity._ His beautiful, strong, courageous Felicity, curled up in ball on the floor beside her desk, her tiny body looking even smaller as it convulses with sobs.

“Felicity!” he shouts as he runs to her, falling to his knees as her side. “What happened? Are you hurt? Talk to me baby.” His eyes run over her body checking for injuries, lingering on her stomach, though it’s just as flat as it was when he saw her this afternoon, so he can’t tell much of anything.

He reaches for her, but she jerks away, and he pulls back, afraid to hurt her or startle her. “Felicity, what can I do? What hurts? Is it the baby? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

She’s not responding, and terror races through his veins, mixing with adrenaline and sending his heart rate into overdrive. “Felicity, please. What’s wrong? If there is something wrong with the baby, we need to get to the hospital now.” 

He lifts an arm, intending to try to comfort her once more, instead causing her to recoil again, and his heart sinks as she continues to shudder and weep, trails of make-up marring her beautiful features. Oliver starts to wonder if maybe she isn’t just hurt, but something scared her. _Someone._

He tries to calm the frantic edge in his voice, instead using the soft tone he only reserves for her. “Felicity? Sweetheart? Was someone here? _Is_ someone here? What scared you? Who hurt you?”

He goes to stand, his instincts telling him to hunt down any possible threats, but she shakes her head manically, and he frowns in confusion. “I’ll be right back. I just need to make sure we’re alone. I need you to be safe. Both of you.”

As he tries to stand, turning away from her, a frightened yelp leaves her lips. “No! Don’t go!” she wails, terror apparent in her voice. The sobs start up again, increasing in magnitude and he is so torn. He wants to comfort her, hold her, do whatever it takes to put a stop to her suffering, but he would never forgive himself if he let his guard down with an intruder in the bunker.

“Felicity, stay right there. Don’t move, try to be quiet. I’m going to go make sure everything is safe, and I’ll be right back.” She gives a small whine, but doesn’t make any other protests as he heaves his injured body to his feet. He picks up his bow and nocks an arrow, preparing for the worst.

“Oliver!”

The frantic cry stops him in his tracks and he makes a gut decision. Felicity is his priority and she needs him. There is no choice to make.

Collapsing back down next to her, he tries to figure out a way to comfort her without startling her.

“Oliver,” she whimpers again, and its then that he notices the glazed look in her eyes, her labored and erratic breathing. He could recognize the signs anywhere, having experienced them countless times himself. She is having a panic attack, and a severe one at that.

The question is: what scared her so badly that this was the result?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!


	17. Chapter 17

Her eyes are unfocused, and he’s not sure she realizes that he’s really here with her. She confirms that suspicion when she begins to wail. “Don’t leave me, Oliver! You can’t leave me. Please,” she sobs, her voice high pitched with hysteria.

Quickly checking that there is no immediate danger, he turns his full attention back to his wife. “Hey, hey. Felicity, it’s me. It’s Oliver, honey. Look at me. You’re okay.” She finally allows him to touch her, and he rubs soothing circles on her back. He lifts his free hand to her cheek slowly so as not to startle her again.

When she meets his eyes, hers are wide with terror, but he can tell that this time she actually sees him, so he gives her a reassuring smile. “Hey there.” He dips his head down so they are eye to eye, and brushes the dampness from her cheeks. “I need you to breath for me baby. Listen to my voice.”

Wrapping long fingers around her wrist, he brings her hand to lay over his heart. “Focus on my heartbeat. Take a deep breath. That’s it.” She’s gradually calming down, breaths coming a little slower now. She’s still panicky but at least she’s trying, and he goes back to running his hands slowly over her back, her hair.

The door from the garage screeches open and she flinches again, but this time, thank _God_ , she flinches towards Oliver and not away, fingers digging in where he placed them on his chest like he is her lifeline. He looks away from her for a brief moment, his eyes meeting John’s across the bunker and he is filled with gratitude that his brother is able to read everything Oliver is saying with one shake of his head: She’s okay, I’ve got her, give us some space.

As John quickly and quietly closes the door again, Oliver looks back to his wife and debates whether or not he should pull her into his arms and hold her. He knows how scary panic attacks can be, knows he never wants to be touched during one, but it’s difficult to fight his instinct to touch her.

She makes the decision for him, suddenly throwing herself into him, sobs once again wracking her whole frame. His body is screaming in pain, but he pushes it down, focuses on her, wrapping his arms around her tighter.

Her face is buried in his shoulder, tears pouring down his leather suit as he tries to calm her. “Shh. It’s okay sweetheart. I’m here. I need you to calm down for me okay? Can you do that?” He starts rubbing her back again, caressing her hair, and slowly, her breathing starts to normalize, her heartbeat stuttering to beat in time with his, as her sobs quiet to whimpers.

When he’s sure she’s calmed down enough for a conversation, he pulls back, taking her face in his hands. “Hey you.” He smiles down at her, but her eyes are still so sad. “What happened honey?”

She sniffles a bit, more tears leaking out and she tightens her hold around his neck, fingers embedding in his hair, before answering. “Your comm went down. I still had video for a while, but you weren’t moving, and they kept hitting you. When I lost the feed…” She shudders, her eyes finally taking in his bloody face.

A sob tears out of her throat and she collapses against him, the tears back in full force. “You can’t die on me. I thought…Please. I can’t watch you die. I won’t survive it. I can’t do any of this without you. Please.”

“Oh baby.” He feels his heart actually break at her words, holding her so tight he’s afraid he might be hurting her. “I’m so sorry. I was reckless tonight. You should never have had to go through that. I’m so so _so_ sorry. I’m okay now. I’m here with you. We’re okay.” He’s covering every part of her body he can reach with kisses and he doesn’t know if he’s trying to comfort Felicity or himself.

“Please don’t leave me.” Her voice is nothing but a whisper, murmured against the leather of his suit. “Please. I don’t want to live without you. I can’t.”

It takes everything he has not to break down in that moment, but she needs him to be strong for her. “I won’t.” It’s a promise they both know he might not be able to keep, but she needs to hear it, and he needs to say it. “I won’t ever. I’m here Felicity. With you. I’m not going anywhere.”

She finally pulls away to look into his eyes, his hands coming back to cup her cheeks, wiping away leftover tears. “I love you so much Felicity.”

“I love you Oliver. Thank you for coming back to me.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When she crashes her mouth to his, it’s one of those frantic, life-affirming kisses they’ve shared one too many times. But he returns it, holding her close, prepared to give her anything she needs. For a split second his beaten body crosses her mind, but she decides it can wait one more minute.

“Felicity?”

“Hmmm?” she hums against his lips, unwilling to pull away.

He pushes back slightly, just enough to see her eyes. “I really am sorry honey. I had a rough week, but that’s no excuse for my actions tonight. I have a family that depends on me. I should have been smarter. I should have been thinking of you and William and the baby.”

“I was so furious when I got here and found out where you were, but I’m just glad you’re alright. Though, let me be clear, if you deliberately try to get yourself killed again and live, I’ll do it myself.”

His lips turn up slightly at her attempt at morbid humor, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I saw what happened with Rene. That’s how I knew I should come looking for you. Do you want to talk about it?”

He drops his gaze, suddenly very interested in the way their fingers are tangled together as he releases a tired sigh. “I was just so angry, Felicity. I haven’t felt that kind of rage in a long time, and when I feel myself heading in that direction, I’m always able to reign it in before things get out of hand.”

His bloody hand scrubs over his face before continuing. “I don’t know what came over me, but today I…I couldn’t control myself. I’m honestly not sure I wanted to. Today I wasn’t the man you married. I wasn’t the father our kids deserve. It took that realization for me to finally stop. I think…if you and William hadn’t pushed your way into my thoughts…I think I would’ve killed him.”

It’s no wonder Oliver’s shoulders are so broad, what with all of the guilt he forces himself to carry there. Somehow he is blaming himself for reacting violently to provocation from a man who has been continually endangering their family for weeks.

“Oliver, most men would have reacted exactly the same way you did. Rene threatened your freedom, possibly mine as well. He nearly killed you, while trying to injure me, putting our baby’s life at risk in the process. I don’t think you turned into some Incredible Hulk rage monster in there. You were just a man who is willing go to any length to protect his family. From where I’m standing, that’s not such a bad thing to be.”

She sees him relax slightly, and she knows her words have registered with him, even if only a little.

“He was there to apologize Felicity. Or maybe not apologize, but…he wanted to thank me for not outing him as the person who shot me. And then later he apologized. And I just…”

“ _Oliver._ ” She cups his face tightly between her palms so he can’t look away. “Did he mean it? Any of it? The apology? The gratitude?”

He seems to truly think this over, closing his eyes as he relives the moment. “I…I don’t know. I think he was glad I didn’t turn him in, but I’m not sure if he really understood why I did it. He said he didn’t mean for us to get hurt, but he gave me the impression that if he could do it all over again, he wouldn’t change his mind and back down. When I told him about the baby, that really seemed to affect him, but I don’t think that’s good enough. Shooting at my unarmed wife is okay with him, but when he finds out you’re pregnant that changes things?”

Felicity nods, agreeing with everything he is saying. “It doesn’t sound to me like he was sorry. He may regret almost killing a pregnant woman, but I don’t think he regrets aiming his gun at me. Or fighting us in the first place. I definitely don’t think he regrets agreeing to testify against you. You’re being too hard on yourself Oliver.”

She leans in closer, her lips brushing against his lightly as she talks. “Maybe you let your temper get away from you, but the fact that you stopped when you did proves what kind of man you are. You do so much good, don’t sell yourself short just because you didn’t handle the situation quite as well as you would have liked. And _please_ stop blaming my husband for looking out for his family. Okay?”

He nods, his eyes slipping shut as he presses his lips to hers more fully. Her hands snake around his neck just as his move around her waist to pull her closer.

When she breaks for air, he yanks her body all the way into his lap, smashing his mouth back onto hers, but it’s only a second before she’s pulling back. “Slow down there, tiger. We’ve let this go on long enough. You’re really hurt. Come on, let me take care of you.”

She leads him to the med bay, supporting a lot of his weight because he dislocated his bad knee again. She gives John a quick call asking him to come back – because she can’t set it back in place on her own – before helping him out of his jacket.

“ _Oliver,”_ she breaths.

The entirety of his torso is a bruise. Purple, black, blue and red splotches cover every visible area of skin. The way he is favoring his left side lets her know he’s rebroken his ribs, perhaps with more damage than the first time, but her main concern is the blood seeping out of his surgical bandage, where he reopened his bullet wound.

“It looks worse than it is?” he tries, but he he’s unable to hide his wince when she probes his mottled flesh with her fingertips. Giving him a stern look she replies, “You could have died tonight. This is no time for jokes.” The look on her face as she hands him prescription-grade painkillers makes it clear she is in a no nonsense mood and he takes them without argument. Score one for the wife.

Quickly removing the dressing, she sets to work cleaning out the cut. When it’s time for sutures, she doesn’t even bother asking if he wants anesthetic, she just injects it near the area and stitches him up.

After she gets his face cleaned and bandaged, John arrives. Luckily the painkillers she forced him to take have started to work, resulting in nothing but a small grunt of pain as Digg sets the joint back in place.

She gets him redressed and the drugs are working for his pain, but he is still dead on his feet as she helps him limp to the car. It’s going to be quite some time before the Green Arrow is any help to the city again.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time Felicity pulls into the garage beneath their building, Oliver can barely keep his eyes open. They have so many things they need to discuss but he knows he is in no condition to have that kind of a conversation tonight.

The painkillers she gave him are strong and he is having a difficult time focusing. Usually he refuses medication, but after what he put her through tonight, he would do almost anything to ease her mind.

When the elevator reaches their floor, Felicity helps him limp inside. They thank Raisa for taking William on such short notice, before going to check on their son. William is fast asleep, completely unaware that he almost lost his father again tonight. William’s unwavering faith in Oliver just increases his guilt, as he once again thinks about what he risked tonight.

Showering with Felicity is, for once, completely void of sexual tension and teasing. She helps him get washed up before cleaning herself up and they both fall into bed, too exhausted for anything more than pulling the blankets up around them.

He wants to talk with his wife. He knows that they need to discuss her reaction to everything that happened tonight as well as the disconnect they’ve been dealing with all week, but it will have to wait. His battered body is seconds from giving out, and Felicity is way too emotionally drained to have that kind of a conversation.

Lucky for Oliver, he has the luxury of being able to wait, because he knows Felicity will be right here when he wakes up. He is so grateful that, despite his stupidity tonight, he is still alive and home with a wife who loves him, and a son who trusts him, and a baby on the way. He just hopes he can convince Felicity that he will be a good father in the morning. It’s with that thought that he finally drifts off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates are taking longer than I anticipated and I'm sorry for that. Good news is, I've got an idea for how I want to finish this story, and I'm really excited about it. The next several chapters are written and just need fine tuning/editing, so hopefully the next update will be up sooner.
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading! Drop me a comment if you are so inclined. :)


	18. Chapter 18

Felicity jolts awake in a cold sweat to the sound of her own screams. The world is blurry and she can’t find Oliver. She frantically jerks her head this way and that, but she can’t seem to get her vision to focus.

“Oliver! Oliver, please! Don’t go. Please, come back!” she cries, flailing her arms hoping to make sense of where she is and why she can’t find her husband.

Suddenly, strong hands grasp her upper arms and she’s being lifted. When she is lowered back down, she recognizes the soft cushion of a mattress beneath her. Muscular legs bracket her on both sides, and as she’s pulled back against a firm chest, two large arms encircle her, effectively surrounding her on all sides.

She’s isn’t sure what finally tips her off to the fact that she is with Oliver and he is okay – his smell, the safety she feels in his arms, the familiar cadence of his breathing, or his whispered words – but once she realizes what is happening, she lets out a sob, turning and burrowing into his body.

He lets her cry, providing soothing words and a safe cocoon for her to calm down in. She vaguely registers the bedroom door sliding open and Oliver’s whispered “She’s okay, just a nightmare buddy. You can go back to sleep,” but she can’t find it in herself to worry about it at the moment, trusting Oliver to take care of she and William both.

When her breathing finally gets back to normal and she’s out of tears, Oliver rearranges them so he can still hold her, but also look down at her face. “Honey, I was going to wait until morning so we were both rested, but I don’t think this can wait. We need to talk about what is going on with you. You’ve been acting off all week, but this is so unlike you. Not that you aren’t allowed to suffer from nightmares and panic attacks –  we both know I do and so does William – but you’ve never had this much trouble before. What’s going on Felicity, because something is obviously not right.”

She drops her head shyly, playing with the hem of his t-shirt she is wearing to bed, and nods. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just didn’t want you feeling guilty. I kept thinking it would get better, but obviously it’s getting worse instead. The moment you are out of my sight…I start to panic that something bad will happen to you.”

She takes a breath, still unwilling to meet his eyes. “That’s why I’ve been showing up at your office every day. Eventually the anxiety just gets to a level where it consumes everything I do and I have to see you. The minute I step into City Hall, I start to calm down. It’s like my body can sense your presence. I know our lives are dangerous Oliver, but I have never fallen this deep into the fear of losing you. I feel like I’m drowning in it. I won’t survive losing you. I know I won’t, and tonight…I really thought tonight was it.”

She finally looks up at his face, expecting to see pity, or maybe disappointment, but instead she finds nothing but love and understanding.

“Oh sweetheart,” he sighs, hands coming up to brush hair out of her eyes. “I know just how you feel. I feel that way every time you or William is out of my sight. The only time I’m truly calm is when you are both safe, with me, where I can protect you. I wish you would have told me how you felt sooner. We can figure this out together. The only reason I’m as sane as I am when I’m away from you is because you gave me a sense of peace.”

His confession surprises her, but at the same time, she’s comforted to know he understands. She should have known he would, he’s always understood her better than anyone else. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I had no idea you felt that way. I mean, I know you worry because you’re, well, _you_ , but if you can handle this constant fear and worry, maybe you can teach me how to deal with it too.”

A small smile graces his face. “It took a long time, but you finally got through to me. You made me realize that the worrying is worth it if it means having you in my life. Now I understand that being with you and being afraid of losing you is better than not being with you at all. Nothing is worth having if you aren’t afraid of losing it, and life is too short to let fear keep you from living.”

He leans in a little closer, gently nudging his nose against hers. “Worrying just takes away from all the happiness and love you and William give to me. It takes work, but it’s possible to worry about the people you love without letting it consume you. You just have to remind yourself that any time we have together is better than no time at all, and let the good feelings outweigh the bad.”

This man. What did she do to deserve to be loved by Oliver Queen? Sometimes he’s actually too wonderful for words. That thought makes Felicity feel even more guilty that she didn’t come to him sooner.  

“That is…incredibly wise. I made you realize that?” He nods. “You tried to get through to me years ago, but I wouldn’t listen. You kept telling me that if the life we lead was so dangerous, you’d rather spend what little time we had together. I don’t think I really fully embraced it until Central City though. When I thought I might never make it back to you, I stared to think about how long it took me to let myself be with you, and that’s when I finally understood what you had been saying all along: It doesn’t matter what happens to us – not really. What matters is that we are together and we cherish the time we have, no matter how long or short that time may be. That’s what gets me through the day. But that's not to say I'm not going to do everything in my power to make sure I get to see how beautiful you look when you're old and grey.”

Felicity can feel the lovesick expression starting to take over her face, but she can’t bring herself to care enough to change it. She is so madly in love with this man, and she doesn’t care who knows it. “Thank you. Thank you for understanding, for being there for me, for being _with_ me. Thank you for making my life worth living no matter the length…I really am sorry I didn’t come to you with this earlier. I honestly thought it would go away, or at least become more manageable…Are you mad?”

He laughs a little. “Mad? Oh honey, I am so sorry that you’ve been feeling this way all week, but I’m honestly relieved. I thought…” He trails off, apparently unwilling to voice his earlier fears. “Tell me,” she whispers, hand gently stroking his bare chest.

“It doesn’t matter now. All that matters is that we are going to work through this together, and I’m going to support you every step of the way.”

“Oliver. Please.”

A sigh leaves his lips but she can’t tell if it’s with exasperation or trepidation. “I thought you decided that you didn’t trust me to be a good father to our baby. I thought you still loved me but wanted what was best for the baby and didn’t know what to choose. This is…well it’s at least something we can handle together.”

She stares back at him, eyes wide with incredulity. “You...you thought…that I? _Oliver._ I would never – ” She’s stuttering, confused and still emotional from her nightmare and his words. “Honey, I am so sorry. I can’t believe I made you think that. How could you think that? William – ”

“Is my son,” he finishes. “And as much as William and I both consider you to be his parent, you don’t technically have any legal rights to take him away if you didn’t approve of my parenting. But…with this baby,” he lays his large hand on her abdomen, and the way his hand spans almost the entire width of her torso warms her in the best way. “With this child, you have rights. Legally you could fight for custody and I just thought…”

“Tell me,” she pleads, taking his free hand in both of hers.

“I know that you love me Felicity. I never doubted that.” She breathes out a sigh of relief that at least he knows that much. “I just thought that’s why you were having such a hard time. You love me and you don’t want to leave me, don’t want to hurt me, but you also don’t want to raise a child with me.”

By the time he finishes, he’s hanging his heading shame – whether because he should have trusted that she wanted this with him, or because on some level he thinks she really shouldn’t want to raise a child with him, she doesn’t know.

“Oliver. Oliver, look at me.” Her slender hands are on his cheeks, urging his eyes back to hers. “You are an incredible father. William knows he is safe and loved and cared for, but he still listen and obeys your rules…mostly.” He smiles a little at that. “He knows he can come to you with anything because you will listen to what he has to say and support him. And most importantly, he trusts that you aren’t going anywhere, that you’ll never leave him, because you’re his _Dad._ You are everything my father never was, and you are the only man I would ever want to be the father of my children.”

Her words have a few tears sneaking out and his voice is only a whisper when he replies, “You really mean that?” She mentally kicks herself. Why didn’t she see this coming? She should have suspected it. It took him so long to get past his self-loathing and guilt to let himself love and be loved by her. Of course though same fears would come back with a baby – he’s always been afraid that he’s not good enough. She makes a pact with herself to tell him just how wonderful he is more often.

She leans in, her lips a gentle caress against his when she speaks. “What kind of mother would I be if I didn’t want the father of my children to protect them and take care of them and love them unconditionally?”

He actually releases a choked sob at her words, burying his face into her neck. She holds him the way he held her only moments earlier, running soothing hands over his head and shoulders.

“I don’t deserve you,” he whispers into her skin and she wonders how he can break her heart yet make her fell so incredibly whole with one statement.

She pulls back, framing his face so he has no choice but to meet her eyes. “ _You do_. Do you hear me, Oliver Queen? You are an amazing father, an incredible husband, and a _good man_. One day, I’ll make you believe it, even if I have to tell you every single day for the rest of our lives, 'til we're old and grey.”

One last tear escapes and makes a track over his cheek bone, but Felicity catches it before it even reaches his stubbled jaw.

“I love you, you know.” His voice is still a little hoarse with emotion, but he switches their position so that his capable hands are now cradling her cheeks instead. “So much, Felicity.”

She smiles at him through watery eyes as he begins to rearrange them again. One minute she is sitting between his bent legs, facing him, the next she’s tucked up against his side, head resting over his heart, Oliver’s strong arms securing her in a protective embrace.

Felicity sighs, snuggling in closer to his body, as she slips a leg over his hip. She has that feeling again like she can’t get close enough to him, but it’s no longer rooted in panic. Really she just craves the connection with this remarkable man that she loves with her whole heart.

“I love you too,” she whispers, but she can tell by his steady breathing that he has already succumbed to exhaustion and his painkillers again. Felicity stretches up to place a kiss to the underside of his jaw, as a feeling of immense gratitude washes over her. Her husband is alive and safe, and he is going to help her manage her worries about his safety in a more healthy manner.

Considering the day they’ve had, it’s a wonder Felicity is feeling this much ease, but that’s what life with Oliver Queen is like: unpredictable, exhilarating, dangerous, but so full of love. She can’t help but slip into a contented sleep, no longer worried about the prospect of nightmares.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> I LOVE reading everyone's feedback, so if you have the time, let me know what you think!


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is pretty fluffy. Hope you enjoy!

When he wakes, the first thing Oliver notices is not the ache of his body or the throbbing in his head. No, the first thing Oliver Queen recognizes upon waking is that his pregnant wife is draped across his chest like his own personal blanket, her breathing even, as she sleeps peacefully, and it brings smile to his face.

As much as he’d like to stay exactly where he is, he knows Felicity’s nightmare really scared William last night, and he needs to check on his son, so he gently slips out from under his sleeping wife, carefully settling her against the pillows and tucking the blankets up around her. She whimpers at first, missing his warmth, but as soon as she is cocooned under the duvet, she burrows further into the mattress, pulling his pillow into her embrace. Briefly, he wonders if the sight of her will ever stop leaving him breathless. He hopes it never does.

Getting to his feet proves to be a challenge, as his reinjured knee is refusing to support his weight. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) for Oliver, this is not the first time he has dealt with this type of injury so, he leans over the edge of the bed, shoving his arm underneath the frame, blindly searching for the knee brace he knows is stashed there. He straps it on, much to his displeasure, before gingerly hobbling to his son’s room.

Oliver is unsurprised to find William already awake – he is an early riser like his father. “Hey kiddo. How’d you sleep?”

When William lifts his head from the novel he is reading, his eyes go wide, his mouth dropping open. It takes Oliver approximately half of a second to realize his mistake. He forgot to put on a shirt before leaving the bedroom, giving his son a full view of the aftermath of the beating he took last night.

“What happened to you?” His voice is slightly higher than normal, his alarm evident.

“William…I made a mistake last night, and I owe you an apology. What I did was unacceptable. There is no excuse for my behavior. I didn’t have a very good day, but instead of coming home and spending time with my family to make me feel better, I went out in the field. I didn’t take backup and I was not in good enough health to be in a fight, and if it weren’t for Felicity, I might not have made it back to you. I promised you I’d be more careful and I broke that promise, but I’m going to do better. I have too much to lose to be reckless. I’m sorry.”

William seems to really take his apology into consideration, thinking for a long moment before answering. “Can I hug you, or will it hurt too bad?” he whispers, thrilling Oliver as he drops onto the bed beside him.

“William, you _never_ have to ask permission to hug me. I don’t care where I am, or what I’m doing, or who I’m with. It doesn’t matter if I’m hurt, or angry, or dirty. There will never be a time when the answer to that question is no. Okay?”

The boy nods before carefully wrapping his arms around Oliver’s waist, head tucked under his chin. “I’m glad you’re okay. I know what you do is dangerous, and I understand why you do it just…please keep your promise next time, okay? I…I don’t want to lose my dad too.”

Oliver’s heart aches a little as his son’s words and he squeezes him a little tighter in reassurance. “Thank you for forgiving me. I’m going to be better William, for you and Felicity and the baby.”

William nods again, biting his lower lip – a mannerism he picked up from Felicity – as he seems to choose his next words with care. “Dad? Felicity…is she…” he trails off, unsure of how to finish his query.

His eyes slip shut as a deep sigh leaves Oliver’s lips. He knew this was coming. It’s the reason he left his sleeping wife in bed. He was wanted to give William a heads up about what was going on with Felicity before she woke up. He needed to be able to reassure him that she was alright before he saw her.

“Felicity is okay, William. She just…she has been having a hard time since I was shot. You remember right after we got back from the island, you had panic attacks and nightmares pretty regularly and I told you that that happened to me when I first came back home too?” he waits for William’s nod before continuing, “Well now you and I have mostly adjusted. We still feel anxious sometimes and we have nightmares from time to time, but it doesn’t control our entire life anymore, right?”

William nods again. “Yeah, right when we came back…after my mom…it was really hard. I felt like I couldn’t do anything or go anywhere without getting scared and I was afraid to even sleep because of the bad dreams. It’s a lot better now.”

“I am so proud of how you’ve dealt with everything life has thrown at you the past few months. You are so strong, and I couldn’t be more proud to have you as my son.” William’s resulting smile is dazzling, his father’s praise well-received as usual.

“Right now, Felicity is going through what you and I went through. When I got hurt…it was really hard and very scary for her. She has been struggling with that and last night, she showed up to the bunker and found me in a very dangerous situation…” Oliver doesn’t finish that thought. His son doesn’t need to know just how close he came to losing his father last night – the bruises scared him enough.

“The comms and the video feed both happened to go out and when Felicity couldn’t get ahold of me, she panicked. What you saw last night was some of the aftermath of all of that. She is going to be okay, though. I promise. She has us, and we have both been through what she is going through. I’m going to take a couple of days off of work next week to spend with her, like I did with you, and we will just keep reminding her that we are all together and we are okay. I think with some time and our support, she will be just fine. Just like you and me.”

“Good.” His son’s shoulders visibly drop as he lets out a sigh of relief. “I’m glad she’s going to be okay. We’ll help her.” He smiles, and every time Oliver thinks he couldn’t possibly love this child any more, his son proves him wrong.

“We will,” he agrees. “I’m going to go back and check on her. She probably shouldn’t be alone when she wakes up.” He glances at the clock on the nightstand before turning back to William. “Breakfast in an hour okay?”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Oliver enters their bedroom, his eyes immediately lock on Felicity. He had planned to wake her up gently so they had time talk a little before making breakfast, but seeing her curled around his pillow has him changing his plans immediately. He has no control over his body as he climbs back into bed behind her and pulls her sleeping form against his chest.

She stirs as his weight moves the mattress, and when he pulls her to him, she turns in his arms, snuggling her cheek against his chest and wrapping her arms around his waist. She hums in contentment, making him smile into her hair.

“I missed you.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to wake you. You needed the rest. I’m sorry you woke up alone though.” His arms tighten around her as he presses a kiss to the crown of her head.

“I don’t sleep well when you’re not here,” she confesses, somehow making his heart ache for her, but filling him up with so much affection for her at the same time. “Mmmm…but it’s okay. I had some time to think while you were with William. There is something I want to ask you.”

A yawn interrupts the end of her statement, and even though her voice is still laced with sleep, he can tell whatever it is, it’s important to her. “I’m all ears.”

Her head tilts back ever so slightly, just enough to meet his eyes. “So…I was thinking about what you said last night – that, legally, William isn’t my son –“

Immediately, Oliver starts to panic. He thought he had been clear last night, he never wanted her to think she wasn’t William’s parent. “Felicity, that’s not what I meant. I thought I made myself clear before. I don’t care what is listed on a piece of paper in some government filing cabinet,” he interrupts, desperate for her to understand.

“Oliver.” She places a hand on his cheek to ease his nerves. “I know what you meant. That’s what I was trying to say. William…started out as _your son_ , and – despite being mad about the way I found out about him – I loved him from the moment I knew he existed, because he is a part of you. But now…he sleeps down the hall from me, I check his homework, we have family dinners together. My name is on the emergency list at his school and I went to his science fair and took him shopping to pick out your birthday present. We took care of each other when you were in the hospital and he is going to be the older brother of the baby I’m carrying.”

She takes a deep breath and he lets he gather her thoughts after her runaway babble. “What I’m trying to say, is William is not just the son of the man I love – not anymore. William is _my_ _son,_ Oliver, in every single sense of the word, except the legal definition. And…I thought about making this about William, about his safety so that if, heaven forbid, something happened to you he’d be able to stay with me, and that is definitely part of it but…”

“Felicity, honey, I’m really trying to follow you here, but I’m not sure where you’re going with all of this.” He gives her what he hopes is an encouraging smile, urging her to continue.

“It’s just…the real reason I want this is selfish. I love William so much, and I know you said it doesn’t matter what it says on paper, but to me it matters. He is my _son_ and step-son just doesn’t even begin to cover the relationship we have. I would never try to replace his mother, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t fight every day to be his parent.”

She looks at him expectantly, but Oliver is still afraid to hope she is saying what he thinks she is saying. When he doesn’t immediately answer she bites her lip in trepidation, and he hurries to reassure her. “I’m sorry hon, I’m just not sure what exactly you’re telling me.”

“I’m saying, if it’s something you’re comfortable with…Oliver, I’d like your permission to ask William if he would let me adopt him. Legally.”

The last words spill out of her so quickly, and he can tell she is nervous, but Oliver has no control over his voice as he stares at her with his mouth dropped open. His slight hesitation is long enough for her insecurities to creep in and she takes off into another ramble.

“I mean, obviously I’ll give you time to think about it…You know what? Actually just forget I said anything. It’s silly. I’m already his step-mother and –”

“FELICITY!” He has to raise his voice and physically turn her face to his to break her from her spiral. She clamps her mouth shut with a click and waits for him to continue. “Felicity, do you mean that? You want to adopt William?”

She doesn’t hesitate for a second on her reply. “Of course. I love him. I love _you._ I couldn’t care less if he is biologically mine or not. I just want William and everyone else to understand how important he is in my life.”

He is trying to hold it together, but Oliver can feel tears pooling in his eyes. He can’t help but pull her in for kiss, overwhelmed with emotion. “There is absolutely nothing I would love more. I’ll never understand what I did to deserve you, but William and I are so lucky to have you in our lives.”

Her face actually lights up brighter than the sun at his answer, her grin more beautiful than anything he’s ever seen. She throws her arms around his neck, peppering his face with kisses before she buries her face in his shoulder, tears leaking onto his bare chest. “Thank you,” she whispers, too choked with emotion to say anything else.

He squeezes her even tighter whispering back, “You never have to thank me – or ask my permission. Like I’ve been telling you all along: William is _our_ son. He has two parents that love him, just like this little one will have.” He pats her flat belly affectionately. “And for the record, I think William will be just as thrilled as I am.”

“You really think so?” Her voice is hopeful, but he can tell she is trying not to get too excited, afraid to be disappointed.

When he confirms with a nod, she pulls back, clapping her hands and letting out a squeal that would make Donna Smoak proud. “Do you think it’s too soon to go talk to him about it now?”

“I think any time is the perfect time. Felicity,” he cups her cheeks again, making sure she is paying attention, “William is going to be ecstatic. Why don’t you go talk with him while I make us all some breakfast.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Half an hour later, Oliver is placing a large stack of pancakes on the table when William’s bedroom door flies open, a streak of brown hair speeding toward him.

“Thank you,” he says simply as he nearly tackles Oliver with hug. He catches Felicity’s eye over his son’s head, and her face is red and wet with tears.

“For what?”

“I never thought I’d have a real family again after my mom died, but now I have you and Felicity, and a little brother or sister, and an awesome aunt, and so many other people. That’s all because you wanted to be my dad, even though you didn’t have to and it would’ve been easier for you to keep living like I didn’t exist. Thank you. For being my dad and giving me a family.”

This time when Oliver looks at Felicity, she is blurry from his own tears, but he can tell by the shake of her shoulders that she is crying again too. “William, you never have to thank your family for loving you or wanting you. If they don’t love you or want you, they were never your real family to begin with. Do you understand?”

He nods, pulling back to look at Oliver again. “Felicity said since you’re the mayor, maybe we could get the paperwork done extra fast? Maybe today?” He looks so hopeful, and in that moment, Oliver would move mountains to keep that smile on his son’s face.

“I’ll make a few calls and see what I can do.” Oliver moves to grab his phone and call City Hall, but William calls him back.

“Dad?” He is looking at Felicity questioningly where she has moved to stand by his side, a proud smile on her face. When she nods, he looks back to Oliver. “I was wondering if maybe…I know this might seem weird but I just…and my mom…”

He huffs in frustration at his inability to articulate what he is trying to say, but Oliver takes it all in stride, watching with complete adoration as Felicity squeezes his shoulder in encouragement.

William takes off into a Felicity-level babble. “I just wanted to ask…if it’s okay with you…do you think when we do the adoption paperwork we could change my name too? I’m glad I have my mom’s name, but I was just thinking that…well I’d like to have the same name as my family – my parents and my sibling and my aunt. So, I was hoping we could hyphenate my last name? William Clayton-Queen. What do you think?”

The emotional rollercoaster Oliver has been riding this morning is finally off the rails and all he can do is yank William and Felicity both into his arms, and do his best not to blubber like a baby.

“William,” he chokes out, “if this is something you want, I want you to know that I would be honored for you to wear the Queen name. I’ll call the office and we can go up there after breakfast.”

When they all settle onto the couch later that evening, William has a new name and a new parent (legally), Felicity has a new son (officially), and Oliver has the family he has always dreamed of (on paper). Looking around at his family, Oliver realizes that all they really got today was confirmation of what they have had all along: each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! As always, I'd love to hear what you think! :)


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I said a while back that I was excited about where this story was headed, this is what I was referring to. Hoping it excites everyone else as much as it does me.

Small feet pattering across the floor to the bathroom is what Oliver wakes up to almost every morning these days. Felicity is 16 weeks pregnant and their little one seems to be pressing on her bladder almost constantly.

He hops out of bed to check on her, his usual athleticism and grace almost fully restored after six weeks of Felicity-prescribed recovery. His broken ribs are fully healed, he has full range of motion back in arm, and – though he will need to be careful because it is much less sturdy than before – he is no longer limping on his bad knee.

Star City has been surprisingly quiet, even without a masked archer patrolling the streets at night.

Six fairly quiet weeks for crime have brought changes in other places though. Felicity made it through morning sickness and some very peculiar cravings. She is finally starting to show, the soft swell of her stomach awakening butterflies in his every time he looks at her.

She used the vacation days from vigilante-ing to secure several investors for her company – which she has dubbed “Smoak Technologies” despite her change of last name – and tweak John’s chip to ensure not even Curtis can hack it.

At the twelve week mark, they had Thea over for dinner and William got to announce the news of his adoption by Felicity, his new name, and his new sibling. The news brought tears to her eyes, and she immediately took Felicity up on an old offer to locate Roy, finally deciding to fight for her happy ending. She left just over a week ago to go after him, and while Oliver misses her dearly, he couldn’t be happier for his baby sister.

Digg, for his part, was thrilled at the news after they assured him that both the baby and Felicity were safe. He told them he had known this day would come since the moment he saw the way Oliver looked at Felicity in Lyla’s hospital room when JJ was born.

When he makes it to the bathroom, he sees his gorgeous wife admiring her small bump in the mirror. Pregnancy looks beautiful on Felicity, enhancing her soft curves and giving her an undeniable glow that lights up any room she walks into. He hadn’t realized she could be more irresistible, but seeing her carry his child with such grace is sexy as hell.

“Hey you,” he whispers, coming up behind her and snaking his arms around her waist. He brushes a kiss against her temple as she leans back into his chest. “Big day today.”

“It is. I was just thinking about whether or not we will be able to tell the sex today.”

“Oh?”

She nods, biting her lower lip. “What are you hoping for?”

He shakes his head, sighing good-naturedly. “ _Fe-li-ci-ty_. We’ve been over this. As long as the baby is healthy I don’t care if we have a boy or a girl.”

A huff of frustration leaves her lips. “I know Oliver, obviously we will both love the baby either way, but humor me here. If you _had_ to pick, which would you choose.”

Oliver already knows. Since the day she told him they were expecting, he always pictured a little girl. Unruly blonde curls, bright blue eyes, pale, smooth skin – every bit as perfect and beautiful and intelligent as her mother. That’s not to say he wouldn’t love a little boy just as much, but he has a harder time seeing a baby him running around the house in his mind’s eye.

“Alright, alright. If I had to choose, I’d go with a girl. Happy?”

Her jaw is dangling open as she gapes at his reflection in the mirror. “Seriously? I thought all men dreamed of like...strapping young lads or whatever? And I'm to believe you, Mr. I-Do-The-Salmon-Ladder-And-Parkour-Off-Of-Buildings-While-Shooting-A-Bow-And-Arrow, want a girl. Really?”

“Of course. A perfect, tiny little you.” He turns her in his arms as he says the words, punctuating the sentiment with a kiss to her nose.

Felicity rolls her eyes, but can’t quite keep the smile off of her face. She leans up to kiss him lightly before pushing at his chest – she can’t actually move him and it makes him smile.

“Shoo,” she says as she swats at his bicep trying in vain to send him out of the bathroom.

“Hey!” It didn’t really hurt, but he acts like it does every time. “What was that for?”

She is still shoving him by his shoulders as she replies, “I need to get ready for our appointment, which means you need to get out of the bathroom and stop distracting me.”

Oliver sends her his most mischievous grin as her pulls her back against him. He slips his hands underneath his shirt that she wore to bed, trailing his fingertips over her thighs and back, eliciting a shiver. He leans in, his lips brushing her ear. “I thought we could get ready together,” he whispers, voice low and gravely, punctuating the suggestion with a nip to her earlobe and a squeeze to her behind.

Felicity melts under his touch, her body sagging into his as a quiet moan leaves her lips. Just as he is moving his mouth back to meet hers, she realizes what he is doing. She shakes her head and pushes out of his arms, hands up in a defensive stance.

“Oh no you don’t. You stay over there, mister. You know how my hormones have been lately and we _so_ do not have time to satisfy them in the shower before the appointment. You’re just going to have to wait.”

He stares at her a moment longer and he can see her doing the math in her head. He knows the moment she reaches a conclusion, and he relents. If his best puppy dog eyes won’t do the trick, he knows she is not going to budge.

Leaving his wife to get ready with no distractions, Oliver finds his way to the kitchen, opting to make breakfast for his family.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ride home from the doctor’s office was mostly uneventful. There wasn’t much to say, because Oliver was grinning like an idiot the whole time and Felicity could not stop staring at him.

He looked so free and so… _happy._ It was rare to see her husband smile like this. Sure, he smiled – at her and William, at Thea, at John when he made a joke, at JJ – but more often than not it was brief, a spilt-second reprieve from the immense responsibility he carried wherever he went. Still, she caught glimpses of the real thing. At their wedding, when William calls him Dad, when little JJ sprints into his arms yelling “Uncle Oliver!”

Today is like that, but better because it’s like he can’t stop smiling. And it’s the real one, the one where she can tell he feels like a weight has been lifted off of his shoulders. His eyes are lit up like the sky on a summer day, his smile wide, dimples out in full force. This little life they created is bringing Oliver so much joy, and he is all the more beautiful for it. And Felicity? She couldn’t tear her eyes off of him even if she wanted to – which is something she most definitely does not want to do.

She can’t help but touch him in this moment, share some of his sunshine, so she reaches over and snakes her arm though his, hand settling in the bend of his elbow. When she gives him a squeeze, he turns the full force of that smile on her, and she’s honestly never felt this much love.

“You’re happy?” she checks in a whisper, knowing in her heart he is, but wanting to hear it just the same.

She didn’t think it was possible, but somehow his grin gets wider and for a second she worries his face might actually get stuck that way. “Sweetheart, I’m…I’m ecstatic.” His other hand reaches over to lay atop hers. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” She can feel the smile on her face stretching just as wide as his. “Now that we know the gender of the baby, we can start talking names. I think maybe we should only tell William, though. Let’s keep this one little bit just between us.”

He nods his agreement before she has even fully finished the statement, and she realizes that, in that moment, he would give her nearly anything she asked for. “Honey, would you mind dropping me off at the loftice instead of home? Get it? Loftice? Because our old loft is my – never mind, just, can you swing by there instead?”

He chuckles at her babble but makes a left instead of a right at the next light, signaling his agreement.

Pulling into his old assigned parking space out of habit, Oliver get out of the car, circling around to her door. Always the gentlemen, he opens her door, helping her out. His hand unconsciously falls to her now-rounded abdomen as the other finds the small of her back, pulling her close.

Felicity can feel herself start to melt into him as his forehead drops to meet hers. The moment feels so intimate that her voice comes out in a whisper. “I have a lot of work to do, so instead of picking me up when you leave City Hall, would you care to just wait until I call you?”

He shakes his head slightly, but he never fully breaks contact, causing his forehead to nuzzle against hers. “Of course. Just call me when you need me, and I’ll be here.” The conviction in his voice lets her know that he means more than just a ride back home, and that knowledge hits her like a ton of bricks. It’s still difficult at times to wrap her brain around how unconditional Oliver’s love for her is. Sometimes, the realization that he will _always_ be there for her takes her breath away.

She stretches onto her tip-toes to take his mouth with hers, gently sucking on his bottom lip. The kiss sways towards heated for a moment, her hands knotting in his hair, yanking him ever closer, as his slip around her back, pressing her more fully against him.

It’s unclear who breaks for air first, but neither of them goes far, opting to go back to the original position of their foreheads pressing together.

“I love you,” he breathes, lips brushing hers as he speaks. “Don’t be home too late. I’ll miss you.”

One more chaste kiss to her grinning lips, and Oliver is back in the car heading to work with a wave. She waits until he is out of sight before making her way to the elevator. She punches the button for the correct floor, settling in for the old fashioned elevator to make it’s slow trek up to the penthouse.

When the doors slide open at the top floor, Felicity really wishes she would have decided to go home instead. Just as she turns the corner out of the elevator, someone grabs her from behind. A gag is tied around her mouth, effectively blocking any chance she has of screaming for help.

A black hood comes down over her face and she can feel her arms being yanked behind her in an attempt to bid her wrists. A pinch in her neck alerts her to the fact that she’s being sedated – likely due to the impressive fight she is putting up by flailing her arms and kicking her legs – before the actual grogginess sets in.

The last thing that crosses Felicity’s mind is the image of Oliver telling her to hurry home. Then everything goes black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *hides*
> 
> Thanks for reading, I'd love to hear you thoughts :)


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taking me longer between updates. I've been busy, and the further I get into the story, it's taking more time for me to edit (I'm a bit of a perfectionist). I have the next few chapters written, I know where I'm heading with the story as a whole, and I have every intention of finishing it, so don't worry!

The sound of William’s bedroom door opening stops Oliver where he is pacing the length of the kitchen. “Hey kiddo. Dinner should be ready pretty soon,” he says with a forced smile on his face.

“Dad. What’s wrong?”

A resigned sigh escapes Oliver’s lips. Leave it to his wife and son to be the only two people who can _always_ see right through him. “It’s nothing. Just…Felicity. She told me she would call me to come pick her up when she was done working but it’s getting late. When I called to check on her she didn’t answer and she hasn’t returned my calls.”

A knowing smile makes its way onto his son’s face. “She works late a lot, Dad. You know how she gets wrapped up in her computers. She probably just isn’t paying attention to her phone. Or the time. Once she gets in the zone it’s hard to break her out of it.”

Oliver nods along with William’s words, but they are not granting him any solace. “I know. I’m sure I sound crazy it’s just that…I don’t know exactly what it is, but I always have this _feeling_ with you, and Felicity, and Thea. It’s like I can sense when something isn’t right. I feel like that now. I can’t shake the feeling that something is really wrong.”

William walks over to his dad, standing right in Oliver’s space. “Why don’t we go get her then? She always forgets to eat when she’s working, so she probably needs to come home anyway.”

He smiles down at his son. “When did you get to be so wise, huh?” A nervous chuckle leaves his lips as he turns off the stove.

“It’s probably from spending so much time with Felicity,” William teases with a grin. “She’s pretty smart, you know.”

With a shake of his head Oliver nudges William toward the door. “Come on, Mr. Smart Guy, let’s go get our girl.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Felicity wakes to a throbbing in her head. She rolls, intending to rouse her husband, knowing he will go and grab the Tylenol from the bathroom, briefly wondering why she isn’t wrapped in his arms like usual. Her arm extends toward Oliver’s side of the bed, but instead of finding warm, firm muscle, her had lands on cold, harsh metal. The unexpected surface under palm jerks her fully awake.

She flies into an upright position, immediately regretting the movement, as it exacerbates the stabbing pain in her skull. Felicity blinks, trying to understand her surroundings, but nothing will come into focus. She brings her hands up to massage her temples, and it’s then that she realizes she isn’t wearing her glasses.

Suddenly, the memories come rushing back. Oliver had dropped her off to work at the loft but before she made it inside, someone grabbed her and drugged her. She has no doubt this is Diaz’s doing.

Struggling to her feet is rather painful, her body aching, likely from trying to fight off Diaz’s men. Once her legs are under her, Felicity is able to explore her surroundings.

It’s slow work – the residual grogginess from the sedative, her bruised body, and poor vision requires her to move carefully and use her hands – but she is able to conclude that she’s being held in some sort of cell. It’s small, with concrete walls and floors with no windows. There is a “bed” – more of a metal platform attached to one wall – and one door, leading to God knows where.

Panic starts to set in the more she thinks about her predicament. She has no clue where she is, no idea how much time has passed since Oliver dropped her off, she can’t see, and she is pregnant. Her left hand automatically falls to her stomach, protectively curling around her small bump. Kidnapping is not necessarily a new experience in this line of work, but this time it isn’t just herself Felicity has to worry about.

She desperately hopes Oliver will realize she is missing sooner rather than later. He has always had this sort of sixth sense when it comes to his family, and she knows he will recognize that something isn’t right.

As a rule, Felicity is completely against being a damsel in distress, but sometimes, the life she leads lands her in situations that are pretty damn distressing. This is one of those times, and she is not ashamed to say that she is counting on Oliver to be her knight in shining…leather – armor would be wholly impractical for flipping off of buildings.

Footsteps outside the door have Felicity squaring her shoulders and crossing her arms – just because she’s willing to admit that she needs Oliver to save her doesn’t mean she is going to give Diaz the satisfaction of seeing her cower.

Felicity holds her chin high as the man in question waltzes in, and though her vision is too blurry to see the expression on his face, she is sure he is sporting a smirk. “Ahhh, Mrs. Queen, I’m so glad to finally meet you. I’ve heard such good things.”

He strolls right up to her, and his fingers clasp around her chin but she jerks out of his grasp. “The pleasure is not mine,” she spits back.

A menacing chuckle leaves Diaz’s lips but he doesn’t make a move to touch her again. “Now, now sweetheart, that’s no way for a mommy-to-be to talk.” He clicks his tongue as he begins to circle like a predator moving in on its prey.

“What exactly is your play here? Because if your intention was to personally invite my husband here to kick your ass at your own base of operations, congratulations. There’s no way he isn’t going to show up outside your door. He doesn’t react kindly when people threaten his family.” Her voice doesn’t waver a bit, and it’s all thanks to her complete confidence in Oliver’s ability to find her.

“Well, Felicity – can I call you Felicity? – the Green Arrow has no hope of finding you, especially since you are the one who usually does the finding. I learned a few tricks working with Cayden James and I can assure you, the only person with any hope of locating our location, is you. My “play” as you called it, is much less a fire fight, and much more a negotiation. You see, I control most of the city: the police force, the justice system, the banks, the docks, public transportation, you name it. The problem is, while I run all of those things behind the scenes, publicly Oliver Queen is still the man in charge and – though I can’t fathom why – the people of this city believe in him. That has to change.”

He stops in front of her again, right in her personal space, but she won’t step back, won’t allow him the pleasure of seeing how he affects her. “That’s where you come in. I’ve done my research, and I have no doubt that Mayor Queen will gladly step down in exchange for the safe return of his wife and child, don’t you think?”

“You sick son of a bitch. You’d kill a pregnant woman? An unborn child? Just to further your agenda? You truly have no soul.” Felicity finally turns away from him, no longer able to stand so close to this horrific man.

She rounds on him again at the sound of his laughter. “You have no _idea_ who you’re dealing with.” She steps right into his bubble, so close she has to look up at him. “My husband will _never_ bend to your demands, and you’ll end up dead because you’re too stupid and arrogant to come up with a decent plan.”

The slap across her cheek is sudden and unexpected, sending her careening back into the wall. Still unsteady on her feet from the drugs, she collapses in a heap as Diaz turns toward the door. He stops just inside her cell, turning to look over his shoulder at her pitiful position. “Keep up that attitude, Mrs. Queen, and your husband may not be negotiating to get _both_ of you back.”

The door slams shut, the lock clicking into place, and she is alone.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The elevator cannot move fast enough for Oliver. He stands just inside the doors, arms crossed, shoulders tense, foot tapping impatiently. He had called Felicity 3 more times on the drive to the loft, with no answer.

When the elevator finally dings open after what feels like hours, his stomach drops. There are obvious signs of a struggle: a hall table toppled over, the vase on top shattered in the floor. That alone is enough to make Oliver nauseous.

He sees something out of the corner of his eye and moves to grab it. As he picks up his wife’s cell phone, he recognizes Felicity’s glasses close by, and the sight is enough to bring him to his knees. A ragged sob rips from Oliver’s throat, and he can feel himself about to fully lost it. Tears are just about to spill over when a small voice brings him back to the present.

“Dad?” William’s voice is quiet and scared and it’s that sound that launches him into action. He whips out his phone, quickly texting John a 911 to meet at the bunker. He gathers Felicity’s phone and glasses, before turning to his son.

Oliver bends down so that he and William are eye to eye before he speaks. “Something happened to Felicity. Someone took her, but I am going to get her back okay? We’ll get her back.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When they get to the bunker, Oliver isn’t surprised that Digg is already at Felicity’s computers, but the sight still hits him like a sucker punch. Felicity should be there. Instead, she is God knows where, and he needs to find her. Right the hell now.

“Digg, what do you have?” The other man spins, a bleak expression on his face. “I’m sorry Oliver, but Diaz is in the wind. I can’t locate Anatoly or Laurel either. Traffic cams outside the loft didn’t catch any sign of her. I’m sorry, man. We’ll keep looking, but right now we don’t have any leads.”

Digg flinches when Oliver slams his fist down on the nearest table. “DAMN IT!” He is erupting with rage faster than he can control it until he remembers his son is in the room. William needs him to have a level head. Hell, _Felicity_ needs him to have a level head. His family needs him, and he has to keep his cool.

Taking a deep breath, he shoots William an apologetic look before turning back to his partner. “I’ll call Quentin. Maybe he can get a lock on Black Siren for us. Until then, keep looking. I have feeling this is a hostage negotiation. Diaz wouldn’t take Felicity unless he wanted something from me.”

When Quentin arrives at the bunker, it is obvious he came as soon as Oliver called him. His clothes are rumpled and he is out of breath, like he rushed there abruptly. “Oliver, I’m so sorry. We’re gonna find her, okay?”

Oliver gives him a melancholy nod. “Do you happen to know where Laurel is at the moment?” he asks, trying to keep his tone neutral and not let any hope creep in for William’s sake. This is a long shot.

“I’m sorry I can’t be more help, I haven’t seen her in weeks. We had a disagreement and she quit coming around. I think she and Diaz are together now…there was just no getting through to her.” He hangs his head in disappointment.

“I’m sorry Quentin. What is important is that you tried.” He places a comforting hand on the older man’s shoulder. Quentin wanted to save this Laurel so badly. This has to be difficult for him.

“Yeah…So do we have any leads? Did you track her phone?”

Oliver shakes his head, his voice laced with defeat. “I found her phone and glasses outside the loft. She must have lost them when they grabbed her. We have nothing. We can’t find Diaz or Black Siren or Anatoly. Of course the person with the best chance to find Felicity, is Felicity. We are severely lacking in the tech department.”

Quentin seems to mull the information over before offering, “Have you considered that this might be a negotiation? What does hurting Felicity get him? I’ll bet he wants something from you and that’s why he’s doing this.”

Nodding along with Quentin, Oliver’s mind starts to wander. What could Diaz possibly want? He’s running so much of the city already. If he wanted Oliver dead or alone he would have come after them directly. It doesn’t make any sense.

“I’ve thought the same thing, but until we hear from Diaz directly, this is a search and rescue mission, not a hostage negotiation. I want her out, and I want her out now.”  He directs his attention back to Digg who gives him a grim look.

“Oliver, it’s late. We have been at this for hours, we have no leads, and we expect Diaz to make his demands anytime. Maybe we should call it a night.”

“John, I _can’t._ My wife and child are out there somewhere. How am I supposed to just go home knowing that?” His voice cracks at the end, but he doesn’t try to hide his despair from his best friend.

Digg sighs, standing and moving to Oliver’s side, they’re both staring at the negative search results on the computer monitors. “I know man, I do. This is a terrible situation. But look,” he pulls on Oliver’s arm and Oliver turns, his eyes finding William where he has fallen asleep in a chair in the corner. “You’ve still got William to think about. I’m sure he’s terrified. His step mother is missing, his dad is an emotional wreck. His home is being overrun by a mad man. He needs you to be there for him.”

Oliver blows out a long breath that ends up sounding more like a sign. It’s obvious William is asleep due to pure exhaustion – he doesn’t look the least bit peaceful. The vigilante life style is not for the faint of heart and poor William didn’t get much of say before he was tossed head first into the deep end. He’s handled everything so well – so much better than Oliver would have at his age – which is a testament to how good of a kid he truly is. He is strong and brave and compassionate and understanding and smart and absolutely everything Oliver could have hoped for in a son, and right now, he needs his dad.

“I know you’re right, and I know Felicity would say the same thing. It’s just so hard. She’s not _safe_ , John. My wife and child are in danger and they _need me,_ and William _needs me_ , and all I want is to take care of them. All of them.”

“We’re going to get them back, Oliver.” Digg’s tone brooks no room for argument, and Oliver decides not to press any further because Digg knows how he’s feeling and he knows Oliver won’t be okay until Felicity is safe again, so what’s the point in rehashing it over and over?

“I think I’m going to keep William here, at least for tonight. It’s safer. No windows, only one entrance, and the security system Felicity installed here is better than the one at home. And, this way I’ll be here if any of the searches turn up anything over night.”

Oliver finally tears his eyes away from his son and back to his friend. “John, I need to ask a favor. I don’t want William in school tomorrow. It doesn’t feel safe. I’d like to keep him here, but if the searches are still negative by morning, I think I should go to work. If Diaz does want to contact me to negotiate, that’s most likely the place he’d do it. Do you think you could stay with William tomorrow? I know it’s asking a lot and I know you’re not a babysitter, but Raisa isn’t really equipped to protect my son from a mad man and normally I’d ask Thea but she’s gone searching for Roy. And really, you and Lyla are the only other people I’d trust to watch over him in this sort of situation and I know Lyla’s on a mission and—”

“ _Oliver,”_ Digg finally interrupts. “Of course I’ll watch William. Lyla’s actually back from her assignment so I’m sure she’d be willing to tag along too. I definitely agree that you should make yourself accessible in case Diaz wants to strike a deal. We’ll come by in the morning. He’ll be safe here with us." He shakes his head a huff of laughter passing his lips. "Wow, man. Felicity’s babbles are starting to rub off on you.”

A breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding wooshes out of Oliver’s lungs. “Thanks John. That means so much. Now get home to you wife and son. I’ll see you in the morning.

Oliver heads over to William to wake him up “Hey kiddo,” he says gently when the boy opens his eyes. “No luck on the searches yet, but we aren’t giving up hope. I think we’ll stay here tonight in case we get any leads.” He doesn’t tell his son that he’s worried about his safety, he has enough to worry about as it is.

“There’s a bed in the back,” he says as he helps William to his feet. “There’s only one, so we’ll have to share, but it’s a king so we should be okay. As long as that’s alright with you?” William nods his agreement though a yawn, seemingly too tired to even bother with words.

Ten minutes later, William is dressed in Oliver’s spare sweats and t-shirt – both totally engulfing him – and he’s already back asleep, curled up on one side of the large bed. Oliver checks the searches one more time, makes sure the security system is fully operational, and turns off the lights in the bunker before climbing into bed next to his son.

He is restless without Felicity, but he knows his body will need to be at full strength for this rescue mission. He turns off his brain and wills himself to sleep, a skill he perfected on the island. He dreams of his family: Felicity, William, and the new baby on the way. His _daughter_. He sleeps much more peacefully than he expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The response to the last chapter was wonderful, so huge thanks to everyone who is reading!
> 
> As usual, I love to hear your thoughts :)


	22. Chapter 22

Black and cold surrounds Felicity where she lays on the hard, metal bed in her cell - that's what she's calling it anyway. There may be no bars on the doors but she's a prisoner, and this is her cell. No one has been back since Diaz left, but the lights were turned off remotely about an hour ago. With no windows and sound-proofed walls, she is surrounded by darkness and silence.

Her face is hot where he slapped her, and she can feel the swelling signaling the beginnings of a black eye forming. As if her vision wasn’t bad enough without her glasses, her right eye is already almost swollen shut, with matching swelling on the back of her head from crashing into the wall. The quiet only seems to intensify the pounding in her skull, making the room all the more ominous.

A chill runs down Felicity’s spine and she wills herself to be strong and brave, like Oliver. One of the many reasons he is her hero is because of how brave he is; he has the strength to overcome even the most horrific of fears, facing them with insurmountable courage. It’s an incredible thing to witness, and she is inspired by him each and every time she gets a glimpse of his courageous heart.

She thinks of her boys and wonders what happened when they realized she was missing. William must be so scared and Oliver…Oliver will be out of his mind.

Felicity’s heart aches when she thinks of her husband, knowing he’s overwhelmed with emotions: guilt, fear, worry, sadness, anger. But, while he’s definitely hurting, she knows he’s being strong for William. For all of them. She has no doubt that Oliver will come for her.

The uncomfortable sleeping arrangements are worsened by her restlessness and the aches and pains that come with pregnancy. She misses Oliver, misses having him wrapped around her, the small swell of her stomach resting comfortably on his hip, his heartbeat lulling her into a peaceful sleep.

The reality is, even though she knows Oliver is looking for her – knows he will go to any length to save her – Felicity is scared. She just hopes the child inside her can’t sense that fear. She wants her sweet baby girl to feel safe.

_Girl._ It’s the first time she’s thought about that since she and Oliver left the doctor’s office. They are having a little girl just like Oliver wanted, and he was _so happy_. Tears spring to her eyes at the thought – they were planning to tell William at dinner that he was getting a little sister and then discuss names after he went to bed. Oliver was so excited about names.

Suddenly, her mind is overrun with images of her wonderful husband cradling a tiny, blonde baby girl in his large hands, and it grants her some peace in this terrible situation. Their lives are in his incredibly capable hands, and there is no safer place to be.

“It’s okay, baby girl. Your daddy is out there, right now, looking for us,” she whispers into the darkness and she runs her hand soothingly over her bump. “Daddy is coming for us. He’s going to keep us safe. We both love you so much, sweet girl.”

Exhaustion finally takes over and Felicity falls asleep murmuring comforting words to her daughter.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three days. That’s how long it’s been since Felicity was taken. Safe to say Oliver is not handling it well. He is trying so desperately to hold it together for William, and so far it’s working as best it can, but Oliver is struggling to stay sane.

He spends all of his time at work or searching for Felicity, be that out on the streets or in the bunker. The only time he takes a break is when the tension builds up so much that he can’t do anything without releasing it – that’s when he trains until his body reaches its breaking point.

That’s not to say he hasn’t been looking after his son. He asked Lyla to help with William’s homework – it’s all way over Oliver’s head and homework is usually Felicity’s deparment – and he makes sure William is safe and nourished and getting enough sleep. He tries to reassure him as much as possible, give him some semblance of stability even though he is living in a secret, underground vigilante hideout.

Oliver’s health – physical _and_  mental – on the other hand, has not been so thoroughly monitored. His face is gaunt, the bags under his eyes so dark they look like bruises, his stubble now verging on becoming a full beard. He has lost an absurd amount of weight for three days’ time – no desire to eat paired with intensive physical exertion has taken its toll – and his ribs are visible when he removes his shirt. He’s quickly approaching a state of complete hopelessness and he has no idea how to find the light at the end of the tunnel.

The elevator to the bunker is making its descent underground, and Oliver finally gives himself a moment to truly feel his emotions. As his despair crashes over him, he realizes a moment is not going to be long enough and, reaching over to hit the emergency stop, he collapses to his knees on the cold metal floor. The exhaustion and anxiety and desperation that has been plaguing him for days is finally too much to bear, and he allows himself to cry.

Ragged breaths escape his throat as his entire body convulses with sobs. He cries for Felicity, for their baby girl, for how scared and alone they must feel in this moment. He cries for William, because he deserves a happy, carefree childhood, but his is wrought with heartache and fear. He even sheds a few tears for himself, for how he feels like a failure as a husband and father, for how utterly lost he is without Felicity.

He isn’t sure how much time spends in the floor of the elevator, head in his hands, but when he is finally able, he pulls himself to his feet, wipes down his face, and rights his suit and tie before continuing his trip underground.

When Oliver finally arrives at the bunker, it’s not John or William that greets him. No, this time the streak of brown hair that flies into his arms the moment the elevator slides open belongs not to his son, but to none other than his baby sister.

Just having her here, safe in his arms, brings Oliver a tiny moment of peace amidst the nightmare he is living. “Thea,” he breathes, more tears threatening to fall. “It’s so good to see you,” he whispers into her hair.

“Oh Ollie, I’m so sorry. I came as soon as I heard. You must be out of your mind. We’re going to find her, I promise.” She is sniffling, trying to hold back tears for his sake and he appreciates it. He dangling from an emotional cliff, and even the slightest push will sending him careening off the edge with little chance of making it back up to the top.

“Thea, how did you find out about Felicity?” His voice cracks a little on her name.

“I gave William the number to my burner phone and told him to use if he ever needed me. He called this morning. He is so worried about you, Ollie. And rightly so. Look at you! You look _awful_. Are you eating? Have you slept at all since it happened? You have to take care of yourself, or you’ll be in no physical shape to actually save her when we find her. What would Felicity think if she could see you right now, Ollie?”

He lets out a deep sigh, his breath ruffling her hair. “I know that, Thea. I really do, but…I’m in an impossible situation. My pregnant wife has been kidnapped by a madman and we have no leads on where to find her. I’m trying to devote everything I can to getting her back, but I also have a son who is scared and needs his dad, and on top of it all, I have a city I’m still trying to run. I know Felicity would be disappointed if she could see me right now but…I can’t do everything at once, and this is the best I can do. I…I’m doing the best I can.” He hates how broken and lost he sounds, but that’s the way he feels and there’s no use trying to hide that from his sister.

“Felicity wouldn’t be disappointed in you, Oliver. She would understand that you are in a terrible situation – a situation no one should ever have to be in. She would, however, be worried about you, and she’d definitely make sure your crazy ass was eating and sleeping. But, that’s why I’m here, and I’m going to stay until we find her. And, lucky for you, I brought back up.” She grins, jerking her chin to gesture over her shoulder.

For the first time since his sister launched herself at him, Oliver takes in the rest of the room, noticing a young man with dirty blonde hair standing near his son. “Roy?”

The man in question turns, meeting Oliver’s eyes. “Hey, Oliver. It’s been a long time.” He gives the older man a shy sort of smile as Oliver walks over to him. “Too long,” Oliver answers pulling the shorter man into a hug.

“It’s good to see you,” Oliver tells him. “I guess you’ve met my son?”

“I was just about to introduce myself, actually.”

“Allow me to do the honors. William, this is one of my closest and most trusted friends, Roy Harper. I owe him my life, and he is very special to your Aunt Thea. Roy, this is my son, William.” William grins at Roy, stretching out his hand, and Roy takes it immediately.

“It’s nice to see you turned out okay, even though fifty percent of your genes came from Oliver,” Roy snarks by way of greeting. William’s grin only widens before his face turns serious.

“Thanks for letting Aunt Thea come back.”

Roy shakes his head. “No thanks necessary, man. Felicity is like my big sister. We wouldn’t be anywhere else. Especially now that I found out I’m going to have to fight Digg for the title of honorary uncle to the little munchkin she’s been hauling around.” He gives William a wink.

“We really needed her,” William implores, wanting Roy to understand just how grateful he is to have his aunt here. Oliver’s eyes find his sister’s eyes and he gives her a small nod, letting her know how much he appreciates her coming back. She blinks back a few tears before addressing her nephew.

“Well, you won’t need me for long. We’re going to find Felicity, and then I’ll let her take back over as caretaker and warden for the Queen men.” She smirks as she ruffles Williams hair, before punching Oliver playfully in the arm. “Let’s get to work.”

Everyone moves towards the computers, but Oliver holds his sister back, pulling her into another hug. “Now there’s the Big Brother Bear Hug I was expecting,” she teases.

“I’m really glad you’re here, Thea,” he replies, but they both know what he means is ‘thank you for coming when I needed you.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I LOVE to get your feedback, so if you have the time, drop me a comment and let me know how I'm doing. :)


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Response to the last chapter was great! I'm so happy to see other people as excited about this story as I am.

Oliver is losing his mind. It’s been a week since Felicity was taken, with no luck in locating her. They’ve tried everything, and the frustration is mounting. William is tired of being confined to the bunker and it is obvious he is worried not only about Felicity’s safety, but Oliver’s sanity as well.

Oliver knows William is aware of his emotional state, but he’s doing the best he can. He is scared and angry and worried about Felicity and the baby and he just misses his wife. This is the longest he’s gone without seeing her in a long time, and it’s taking a toll. Felicity is his light, his guidance, and he can feel himself slipping back towards darkness without her.

It has helped immensely to have Thea around. She and Roy have kept William _relatively_ entertained despite his house – bunker? – arrest and have given John and Lyla a much-needed reprieve from babysitting. She has been keeping an eye on Oliver as well, making sure he chokes down some food at least once a day. He can’t stomach much, because he has been nauseous ever since he discovered Felicity was missing, but it’s something. She also forces him to lay down and _try_ to sleep a minimum of 5 hours every night, and although he can’t really sleep knowing Felicity is out there, unsafe, it’s kept him from going until his body gives out with exhaustion.

He isn’t nearly as healthy as he was before Felicity was taken – he won’t be until he has her safely in his arms again – but he no longer looks like the walking dead, so at least he is making progress.

It’s almost lunch time – he’s been taking half days at work to relieve his friends and family from babysitting duty and hoping more time with his dad will ease his son’s mind a little. Oliver is packing his things to head back to the bunker when there is a knock on his office door.

“Yes?”

His secretary, Anna pops her head in. “Visitor for you, Mayor Queen. He doesn’t have an appointment, but he says you’ve been expecting him?”

Oliver’s stomach drops at her words. Something tells him this is about Felicity. “Okay Anna. Go ahead and send him in.”

The door opens again and none other than Ricardo Diaz strolls in. Oliver can feel his blood begin to boil just at the sight of him. “Give me one good reason not to kill you right where you stand,” he snarls as the door clicks shut behind him.

Diaz, for his part, looks completely unaffected by the threat. “Well Mr. Mayor, I’d say seeing your wife again and meeting your second born would be a pretty good incentive, but hey, if that’s not a priority for you, go ahead and kill me. I’m all yours.”

He stretches his arms out to the side, gesturing for Oliver to make a move and the smile that crosses Diaz’s face is so sickening that he must look away for a moment to gather himself.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. So, here’s how this is going to go. The way I see it, this is a business transaction. I have something you want, you provide a service to me, and I’ll give you what you want as compensation. How’s that sound, Mr. Queen?”

If looks could kill, Diaz would be dead on the spot as Oliver stares him down. “What. Do. You. Want.” Urges of violence enter Oliver’s mind and it’s taking every ounce of his willpower to control it. Fighting Diaz won’t do anything to help his girls. If anything, it might put them in more danger.

“I’m so glad you asked, Mr. Mayor. Tomorrow morning, you are going to hold press conference at which you will announce your resignation from your position as mayor. You will ensure that all your potential successors also leave their jobs so that one of my people, who is currently working in your cabinet will be sworn in as the new interim mayor of Star City. Tomorrow night, I will contact you with a location where you can collect your wife. If you follow my instructions, she will be brought to you _relatively_ unharmed.”

“Don’t you dare hurt her!” He means to sound intimidating, but his voice comes out more like a desperate sob than anything else.

 “Ah ah ah, better be careful, Mr. Mayor. We want to make sure you get you wife _and_ your child back safe and sound. So, what do you say, do we have deal?”

Oliver knows he can’t agree to this. There is no telling what horrors Diaz will unlease if he controls all of the city’s government, but after days of searching, he is no closer to finding his wife. He knows what Felicity would say. She made him promise long ago that if it came down between her and the city, he would let her go.

He made that promise knowing damn well he may not be strong enough to keep it. He’s too selfish, relies on her too much, loves her too much. And now it’s no longer just her. He has a _child_ to think about. One thing Oliver has been sure of since the moment he met William is that he would burn the city – hell, he’d burn the world – to the ground to keep his boy safe. He has felt that same way about his second child since Felicity told him she was pregnant; there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to protect his kids.

He pushes down nausea as the words come out of his mouth. “We have a deal.”

Why does it feel like he just sold his soul to the devil?

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She thinks it’s been about 8 days since she was snatched by Diaz’s men. It’s hard to say for sure, because while they are feeding her – not much, and certainly not enough to sustain both Felicity and the child she is growing long term – it’s not at regular intervals. There are no windows, so she can’t judge by the sunlight, but they have turned out the lights a total of 7 times, and she assumes that means as many nights have passed.

She hasn’t seen Diaz since he left her with the nasty black eye she is currently sporting, which has unfortunately gotten worse and not better in the passing days. After the second night, she woke with her eye completely swollen shut and the swelling has not eased since. Her vision is incredibly limited with no glasses and only one working eye.

Felicity spends most of her time worrying about Oliver and William. She hopes they are taking care of each other. William will need reassurance, and emotional support and she knows Oliver will give him that and anything else he needs; he really is an incredible father. It’s her husband she is truly concerned for. She worries he isn’t sleeping, isn’t eating, consumed with finding her. It comforts her to know he has William, John, and Quentin to look after him, but she wishes Thea were with him as well – she has always been able to get through to him in a way that even Felicity is sometimes unable to manage.

In her darkest moments, her thoughts stray to dangerous places. Why hasn’t Oliver come for her yet? She knows that as long as he is able he will do everything he can to find her. What if he is no longer able? What if something happened to him? Does Diaz have him too, locked away, torturing him until he agrees to resign as mayor? She tries not to let her mind wander there often, she needs to stay hopeful for herself, and for Oliver, and for their kids.

When she isn’t thinking about her boys, she works. She’s written countless algorithms in her head, come up with new ideas she wants to try for the company, contemplated manufacturing options, finance solutions, and the like.

The door screeching open startles her out of her own mind, and she glances up, her poor vision leaving her unable to identify the figure walking through the door. The voice, on the other hand, that is something she won’t soon forget.

“Mrs. Queen, lovely to see you again,” Ricardo Diaz drawls. “It seems you don’t know your husband as well as you may think. I am pleased to inform you that the mayor and I have come to understanding. A business venture, if you will.”

He pauses once he is in her personal space, now close enough for her to make out the gloating smirk on his face. He’s baiting her, waiting for her to ask what the deal is, but she refuses to play along.

“Not curious? That’s too bad. Usually women are a little more affected when they discover they are being traded like property.” His smirk turns into a sneer with the dig.

“I don’t know what you are referring to, but I can assure you that my husband has _never_ treated me like a piece of property,” she retorts, no longer able to control her response to his goading. She doesn’t care if she is playing right into his hand, she will never let anyone speak of Oliver that way.

“Now that’s where you’re wrong, my dear.” He puts his filthy hands on her chin, tilting her face to force her to look at him. She tries to jerk free of his grasp, but he just digs his fingers into her skin, hard enough to bruise. “I met with your husband just before I came to see you and he agreed not only to step down as mayor, but also to ensure that my employee that has been working in his cabinet is next in line as his successor. There’s going to be a press conference in the morning. He agreed to provide me these services in return for compensation, and that’s where you come in. I’ll be returning you to your husband tomorrow, following his press conference.”

Felicity can’t contain her gasp when she hears that Oliver actually went through with the deal. Surely, he has another plan. This must be a cover for something else. Right? He would never choose her over thousands of lives, would he? He promised.

As soon as the thought crosses her mind, her hand falls to her stomach. It’s not just Felicity’s life he’s gambling with anymore, and she knows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that both she and Oliver would choose their kids over everything else. Every time.

That realization takes her breath away and it’s both humbling and terrifying all at once. It’s so awe inspiring to know that she is raising a family with a man who would do anything to protect his kids, yet there is no way to predict what disasters Diaz will bring once he has full control over the city.

“You’re a monster,” she whispers, the revulsion obvious in her voice.

His chuckle is ominous as he raises his hand to “pat” her cheek, though the amount of force he uses is more akin to a smack and will likely add to the swelling of her face. She grits her teeth against the pain, unwilling to let him see her wince.

“They don’t call me The Dragon for nothing, sweetheart. Now, I’ve made sure Mr. Queen will behave himself by promising to return you and your child fully intact. My goodwill does not, however, extend to your husband. That’s where you come in.”

Felicity’s stomach starts to churn at the malice in his tone. “While I fully plan on upholding my end of the bargain by returning you to your husband, I have plans for Mr. Queen the next time we meet. I fear you’ll be going home without your husband tomorrow.”

“No.” It comes out as merely a whisper, as Felicity is overcome with dread. She knew Diaz wanted more than control of the mayor’s office. He wants the Green Arrow out of the picture. Permanently.

“I’m afraid that’s the way it has to be, Mrs. Queen. All I need from you is to know his weak spots. I am aware he has been recovering from some rather extensive injuries. If you would be so kind as to enlighten me to what those injuries are, we can get this over with rather quickly.”

Felicity holds her chin high. If he thinks she would _ever_ give him any information that could endanger Oliver, he obviously hasn’t done much research into their relationship. “And if I refuse?”

Diaz clicks his tongue and shakes his head at her, his expression exuding false empathy. “If you refuse, my dear, I fear we will have to explore… _other_ ways to get you to talk.”

She’s terrified, so much so she fears she may vomit all over Diaz’s shoes, but she keeps her voice steady and looks him straight I the eye as she replies. “Bring it on. I will never turn on my husband.”

A defeated sigh leaves his lips as Diaz motions to two of his men standing just beyond the doorway. “I didn’t want to do this Felicity, but it has to be done.” A hard metal chair is brought in and Felicity finds herself being forced into it, her ankles shackled to the legs of the chair as her wrists are bound to the arms. The men leave, the door slamming shut with a deafening clang, and then it is just Felicity, staring into the eyes of The Dragon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I'd like to thank everyone who takes the time to read and/or comment on this story!


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note additional warning and a change in rating for this chapter. I'm rather new to all of this so I don't know what constitutes which rating/warning, but I figured better safe than sorry. If violence is not your cup of tea, skip to the break about halfway through the chapter!

It feels like days have passed, but in reality, it has probably only been an hour since it began. Diaz started small – slaps to her face when she refused to answer – his blows changing to closed-fist when he became agitated at her lack of cooperation.

He soon realized that she would not be so easily broken. Since then, he has continued to hit her, kick her, interspersed with other forms of abuse. He pulled her hair, hard enough to yank some out, after she spit in his face when he got too close for her liking. There is blood running down various parts of her body from where he dug his knife in, hoping the slow pain would be enough to make her talk: her cheek, her bicep, her shin.

Felicity has been strong through it all and she knows that Oliver, if he was able to look past his horror at her being tortured, would be proud of her. Both of her eyes are nearly swollen shut, her body bloody and battered all over, but she knows there will never be enough pain for her to risk Oliver’s life. Or so she thought.

The next time Felicity refuses Diaz’s demands, he draws his leg back to give her a punishing kick. His foot is headed right towards the small bump of her abdomen, right toward her child, and she acts without thinking. One moment, Felicity is bound to chair, the next she has an arm free, shielding her baby from harm.

There is a sickening crack as Ricardo Diaz’s boot makes contact with Felicity’s wrist, and she can’t help but cry out in agony. She can tell from the look on his face that Diaz has recognized her weakness.

“What do we have here?” he sneers. “A momma-bear? Well, well, well, Mrs. Queen, it seems we have found our point of negotiation. Either you tell me where to hit Oliver Queen so that it hurts the most, or I will tie your arms back in place, and direct my next kick to your stomach. The choice is yours.”

“ _No_ ,” she whispers, tears spilling out of her swollen eyes. It’s an impossible choice to make, a choice no mother should ever even have to consider, but Felicity would make the same decision every time.

Just as Diaz pulls back to kick her again, her resolve breaks.

“HIS KNEE!” she wails. The words are coming out garbled as she sobs. “His knee. The right one. He has injured it before, and it’s always given him trouble. He hurt it again recently. That’s his weak spot. The only one.”

The Dragon gives her a Cheshire-Cat smile, lowering his leg back down. “Now, was that so hard, my dear?” He unties her binds, pulling her to her feet, and caressing her cheek. Felicity wants to pull away, but Diaz is wound up, and she is afraid to do anything that might threaten the safety of her child.

“Get some rest, sweetheart. Wouldn’t want you to look too tired when you see your husband tomorrow, would we? After all, I promised him I was taking _such_ good care of his girl.”

He slides his hand down her neck and across her shoulder, before trailing it down her arm to her hip. She fights the urge to shiver in disgust under his touch – Oliver is the only person allowed to touch her like that. For a fraction of a second, Felicity fears he will take it even further, and terror rushes over her, but then his hands leave her body and he is walking away, closing the door behind him without another word.

When the door slams shut, the lights immediately click off, leaving Felicity to blindly feel her way back to the chunk of metal that is her bed. For the first time since she was taken, Felicity truly breaks down. She curls into a ball, sobs wracking her body and cries until she runs out of tears.

Eventually, her nose is runny, her eyes even more swollen than they were from Diaz’s dealings, her body bloody and aching, her broken wrist screaming, and she is too exhausted to cry any longer. She smoothes her good hand over her stomach, whispering soothing words to her child.

Felicity lets her weariness finally take over, a tearful, “I’m sorry Oliver,” slipping past her lips, before she succumbs to sleep.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oliver arrives at the bunker later than usual – thanks to his run in with Diaz –  and when he steps out of the elevator, he finds William pacing.

“Dad!”

The moment William spots him, he sprints into his father’s arms. “Where have you been? You were supposed to be back an hour ago. I thought something happened to you, too. Are you okay?”

“Hey, hey, hey. Slow down, take a breath.” He pulls back from his son’s embrace to ruffle his hair and pat him on the shoulder reassuringly. “Looks like Felicity’s babbling has rubbed off on both of us.” When his attempt at humor falls flat, Oliver realizes just how scared the boy was. William has been so strong and brave through all of this, but Oliver can hear the fear in his son’s voice, see it in his eyes. “I’m sorry buddy. Diaz showed up at my office when I was about to leave. He wants to make a trade…”

“A trade for what, exactly?”

Oliver sighs. It was silly of him to wish William wouldn’t ask for specifics, and he and Felicity made a pact to never lie to their son. “For Felicity,” he answers, trying to gauge his son’s reaction.

The boy’s face is only wary as he asks, “What does he want to trade?”

If there was a better way to phrase the following statement, a more optimistic way to frame the unfortunate situation they are in, Oliver would have done it. “He wants me to step down as mayor and ensure that his inside man working for my cabinet is my successor. He wants full control of Star City’s government, and he wants the announcement at a press conference tomorrow morning.”

The look on his son’s face now is pure outrage. “You’re not going to do it right? You can’t! What about everyone else? All of the citizens! If Diaz runs the mayor’s office he will have control of the whole city. That’s too dangerous. You have to keep being the mayor, Dad!”

Oliver sighs in resignation as he puts his hands on William’s shoulders, bending so they are eye to eye. “What choice do I have William? It’s been a week and so far this is the only viable option I have to get them back safely. I know it’s selfish, I _know_ that, but you and the baby and Felicity are my number one priority. Always. It’s my job to protect this family.”

William jerks back from Oliver’s grasp. “No! You can’t! There has to be another way. Felicity says there’s always another way.” His voice cracks on Felicity’s name and Oliver’s heart breaks a little more. This past week has been so trying on everyone, but William already lost his mother to a madman, and now the new mother-figure in his life, a woman he has grown so close to, grown to love, has been stolen from him again.

Still, Oliver can’t help but smile at the sentiment. It seems Felicity has been passing her infinite wisdom on to their son when he hangs out in the bunker with her. “William, if you can think of another option, I’m all ears, but right now, this is the only plan we’ve got, and I have to get them back.”

William’s mouth opens and closes a few times as he tries to think of a plan B, to no avail. “But Dad – “ 

“Actually, I think I can help with that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a really difficult chapter for me to write, so I'd love to hear what you think!
> 
> I know this was slightly shorter than my usual updates, so I'm going to try to get the next chapter edited and posted soon. Thanks for reading!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't gotten around to replying to comments on the last chapter, but I will! I'm going on vacation in a couple of days and won't have much time to write, so I wanted to get this chapter posted ASAP. 
> 
> This is one of my favorite chapters of this story so far, so I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

_“William, if you can think of another option, I’m all ears, but right now, this is the only plan we’ve got, and I have to get them back.”_

_William’s mouth opens and closes a few times as he tries to think of a plan B, to no avail. “But Dad – “_

_“Actually, I think I can help with that.”_

 

The familiar voice has Oliver turning immediately to see Curtis and Dinah stepping out of the elevator.

He can feel his features rearranging into a hard glare as his former teammates approach him. “What are you two doing here?” he accuses, voice laced with distrust. Curtis’s hands quickly fly up in a sign of surrender. “We heard about Felicity. We want to help.”

“How did you know about Felicity?” he demands in a growl. “That is _not_ public knowledge. Curtis, if you bugged the bunker, I swear I’ll—”

“No, no, no, wait! Just hear me out. I got my favorite magazine subscription in the mail today. There was a tabloid photo of Felicity and she looked…well, she looked pregnant. I called her to try to make amends and see if my suspicions were true and William answered. He told me. I came as soon as I heard.”

Oliver rounds on his son, disbelief on apparent on his face. “William, would you like to explain why you answered Felicity’s phone and why you told Curtis what happened to her?”

William, for his part at least, has the sense to look repentant. “I’m sorry, Dad. I tried to ignore the calls at first, but he wouldn’t stop calling. The phone just kept going off with the theme song to that weird show she watches…”

“Dr. Who,” Oliver supplies.

“Right, that’s the one. So, then I decided I’d try to silence it, but Felicity does all of these crazy hacker things with her phone, so you need an access code for _everything._ The music would. Not. Stop. The only thing I could do was answer it. Felicity and Curtis used to be friends and you always tell me not to lie so…I just told him what happened to her. I’m really sorry.”

He sighs, patting the boy on the shoulder. “It’s okay, William,” he replies as he turns back to their visitors.

“Look Oliver, I know things got really messy for a while, but I’d like to apologize for all of that. I saw the press conference you gave after you got out of the hospital. You could’ve thrown Rene under the bus for what he did, but you didn’t. He told me what you said about doing it for Zoe and it made me realize that I was unfair to you. The way you reacted when Rene agreed to testify against you, it was completely justified. He threatened your family, and you were just trying to protect them. I was too blind to see it at the time. All I saw was an invasion of my privacy, when what was really happening was a man making his family’s safety his top priority. I can’t fault you for that.”

Curtis pauses, glancing toward the ground. “This next part is hard for me to admit but…I think the reason I reacted the way I did was because I was jealous and bitter. I chose to be a vigilante, and my husband left me. Rene was fighting to get his child back, Dinah was struggling with her lost love turning out to be a possible bad guy. You and Felicity, Digg and Lyla, you guys have these wonderful marriages and families – all this love. I resented you all for that, and you didn’t deserve it. None of you did.”

He takes a deep breath, letting his words sink in with Oliver before he continues. “I’m truly sorry for the part I played in so much of what happened after – especially you getting hurt – and I am ashamed of the way I acted towards you and Felicity. You both were my friends, and even though I had a right to be upset about you guys watching us, that was a problem that could have been solved with a simple conversation, not an all-out war. I know you might not ever trust me like you did before, but Felicity used to be my best friend, and she is in danger. If you’ll let me, I’d like to help you find her.”

Oliver stands silent for a long moment, contemplating everything Curtis had to say. The difference between this apology and the one he received from Rene is that Curtis is sincere. If he could go back and change his actions, he would. At this point, Felicity is Oliver’s number one priority and Curtis might be able to help him get her back.

“Curtis, I…” He takes a deep breath, organizing his thoughts in his head. “I really appreciate everything you had to say. I don’t know if I’ll be able to get back to the level of trust we used to have, but I accept your apology.” He steps forward, offering Curtis his outstretched hand, and he shakes it. “We could use all the help we can get around here. We don’t have any leads, but we have searches running on Felicity, Diaz, Laurel, and Anatoly.” He gestures towards Overwatch’s station and with one more nod, Curtis gets to work.

Oliver scrubs his hand down his face as he turns back to where Dinah has been standing stoically. “Oliver, I think we both know I owe you an apology as well. I was so emotionally comprised with everything going on with Vince that I let one little problem explode. There’s no excuse for the way I reacted when I first found out you guys had been watching us. Yes, I was angry – which was warranted – but quitting the team was extreme and childish and selfish. Truth be told, I would have done the exact same thing if I had been in your position. Like Curtis said, we could have resolved things with an adult conversation instead.”

Guilt clouds Dinah’s features and Oliver feels for her. He knows what she’s going to say next and he wants to spare her, wants to tell her that he understands, that she doesn’t have to say it. He knows they both need her to say it if they are ever going to move on, so he gives her an encouraging half smile instead, nodding for her to continue.

“What happened after Vince…I was out of line. None of that was your fault. I made a call, a call you advised against, and it got Vince killed. Everyone was already so angry at you, I guess you were just an easy target for my guilt and anger and grief. I’m sorry for that. I want you to know that I have always respected you – as a leader, as a friend, as a man. I know that my actions have probably caused you to no longer have respect for me, but I’d also like to help. I know I’m not much assistance with the searching, but if you need an extra set of hands on the rescue, I’ll be there.”

Unlike with Curtis, it’s Dinah who holds out her hand for Oliver to shake. He takes it, but then he pulls her into a hug. “I’m sorry about Vince,” he says in a whisper. “I want you to know that, even though I don’t necessarily agree with it, I understand why you reacted like you did. Losing someone you love is…it takes something from you. You lose a piece of yourself that you can never get back. I’ve experienced that more times than I’d care to remember.”

_His father, his mother, Tommy, Laurel, Shado._ He represses a shudder at the thought of losing Felicity the way Dinah lost Vince, and quickly clears the image from his mind. He is going to save her.

When he pulls back, Dinah’s eyes are shining with unshed tears. “Thank you,” she mouths, too emotional to find her voice. He gives her a nod and she turns toward the bathroom to get her emotions under control.

Things definitely aren’t back to the way they were before, and he doesn’t know if they ever will be, but Oliver finds comfort in the fact that Felicity has two more people in her corner.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours later, they are still nowhere. “Okay, let’s go over this one more time,” Curtis starts for what feels like the hundredth time. “There was nothing on the traffic and security cams outside the loft, and nothing on satellite imaging either, right?” Oliver confirms with a nod of his head.

“And we can’t track her phone—”

“Or the tracker she would be _outraged_ to know I put on her glasses. She lost both when she was taken.”

“Right. And we have no leads on any of our bad guys, so basically…”

“We’ve got nothing,” William, Digg, and Dinah all say at the same time.

“DAMMIT!” Oliver yells, slamming his hand on the desk. It causes one of Felicity’s computers to make an unusual dinging noise.

“Umm…Oliver? Do you know what this is?” Curtis asks in confusion. Oliver leans in closer as Curtis gestures between an unfamiliar tracking program that has loaded on one of the monitors and a small sensor that is now projecting from the computer. The sensor is not much larger than a thumb drive and has and odd shaped indentation that looks as if something should be inserted into it. It consists of a small circle surrounded by a larger one.

“I’m not sure. Do you recognize this program?”

Curtis shakes his head as he examines the screen. He experimentally types Felicity’s name into the search parameters, and a new screen immediately loads, displaying the words:

**Please Insert Tracking Device**.

“That’s weird, right?” Curtis wonders aloud. “We don’t have any tracking devices on Felicity, otherwise we would have used them hours ago.”

Curtis is right. The only tracker that he knows of for his wife is the one he secretly had Cisco install in the frame of her glasses a few years ago. He runs his left hand over his face, rubbing his tired eyes, the metal band on his ring finger cold against his skin. Suddenly, Oliver remembers a joke Felicity made not long after their wedding. She wouldn’t…

He bends over to examine the device more closely – it looks to be about the right size. Some instinctual force has him moving before he realizes it and on a hunch he slips off his wedding band, placing it in the larger circle. It’s a perfect fit.

More words begin scrolling across the monitor.

**Recognized: Oliver Queen, husband.**

**Locating: Felicity Queen, wife.**

The room goes silent with disbelief at what is unfolding before them, everyone afraid to even breathe in case this is all a dream.

“Did she—” Curtis starts.

“She did,” Dinah confirms with a grin.

Shaking his head in amazement Digg concludes, “Leave it to Felicity to inadvertently save herself.”

For his part, Oliver is glued to the screen, watching as the search algorithm finds Felicity’s matching wedding ring and produces her exact location. He has no idea when she had the time to set all this up, but he is nothing short of euphoric that she has the foresight to do so. His incredible, _genius_ wife.

He is going to get his wife back.

Oliver turns to the others. “Curtis, can you stay here with William and run comms?” When Curtis nods, Oliver looks at John and Dinah. “We’re doing this tonight, so that press conference tomorrow never has to happen. Saving Felicity is our primary objective, but if you get a clear shot on Diaz—”

“Now wait just a second.” The elevator dings open again announcing the arrival of Thea and Roy as they stride into the room. “You didn’t seriously plan on leaving us behind, did you?” She raises an eyebrow at her older brother, her features melding easily into an expression Moira Queen perfected decades ago.

“Thea, you’re retired. You don’t want to do field work anymore. I didn’t think you guys would want to come.”

“Are you kidding me? Retirement is off the table the second someone threatens the people I love. Roy feels the same. This is our family. You bet your ass we’re coming.” She looks to her boyfriend who confirms with a determined nod of his head. “Now, where have you been keeping my suit…or I guess, your suit.” She looks back to Roy, a shy smile gracing her features, and he returns it easily. “I’m sure it looks much better on you,” he replies.

The couple is interrupted by William’s excited pleas. “Dad, _please_ can I show them?”

“Okay,” Oliver nods, unable to suppress a smile at his son’s enthusiasm.

William rushes over to the wall with the glass cases that house the mannequins for their gear. On the closest column, he locates a small button, reaching up to press it. The floor on each end of the line of cases opens, two new glass boxes ascending to fill the space. The mannequin on the right is wearing Thea’s Speedy suit, while the one on the left sports Roy’s original Arsenal gear that they modeled Thea’s suit after.

Thea’s lips quirk up in a pleased smirk as the new showcases click into place, “That was badass. This has Cisco and Felicity written all over it.” Roy, on the other hand, just continues to stare at his hood, eyes wide as saucers. “Oliver, I can’t believe you kept it all this time.”

He strolls forward, clapping a hand onto the shorter man’s shoulder. “As far as I am concerned, you will always be a part of this team, and this family.” He looks to Thea, “Both of you.”

“You can find your bows and quivers in the weapons vault.” He turns, addressing the group. “Curtis is going to run comms. As for the rest of you, we head out in 15. Now, suit up.”

They leave to go change and Oliver looks to his son. “Listen to Curtis, and don’t get in his way. I’m going to save them. I promise.”

William nods but just as Oliver is turning away, he speaks. “Dad?” Oliver turns back to meet William’s determined gaze. “Go get our girls.”

Curtis squeals from behind them and claps, “It’s a girl!”

William rolls his eyes before continuing, “And kick Diaz’s ass.”

With one more affirmative nod, the Green Arrow readies himself for battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize this story is getting rather long, which is something I like when reading, because I love to get immersed in the story, but I know long fics aren't for everyone. I definitely don't want to bore anyone, or for you guys to feel like the story is dragging. I'd love some feedback on how everyone feels moving forward. 
> 
> As always, thanks for reading! I truly appreciate every single person who takes the time to read my work.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I've been MIA! I've been incredibly busy but I'm back and I already have chapter 27 almost done, so be on the lookout for another update soon! 
> 
> Enjoy!

When the door to her cell slams open this time, Felicity cowers into the corner she’s sitting in. Diaz broke her, and she doesn’t have much fight left in her. She is surprised when the door gently closes, and soft, careful footsteps makes their way to her.

When she glances up through swollen eyes, her blurry vision tells her it’s not Diaz come back to torture her again, but a friendlier face. A face that immediately puts the fire back into her veins.

“What do you want, Anatoly?” she spits.

“Miss Felicity, what has happened to you?” He actually sounds surprised to see her in this condition.

“What do you mean ‘what happened to me’? Your pal Diaz tortured me to get information on Oliver. I would have held out but…he threatened the baby.” Her good hand falls to cradle her stomach, “I couldn’t let anything happen to her. I would never forgive myself.”

“Diaz…he did this?” His voice is a whisper laced with shock. “No…” he starts, but trails off at her nod, his voice turning hard with anger. “We had deal. Take you to make Oliver step down as mayor, then trade you back. He promised no harm would be done to you.”

She snorts at that. “Why do you care what happens to me. You hate Oliver, so what does it matter to you what happens to his wife?”

“I don’t hate Oliver. He just needed some teaching, and I needed some revenging, that is all.” The way he states it is so matter-of-fact as if it all makes perfect sense. “That doesn’t make any sense!” she shouts back, already tired of his riddles and games.

“You see, Oliver did me wrong, he used our friendship to his advantage, and I got into trouble for it. So, I come to Star City to teach him lesson, remind him how a brotherhood works. Very stubborn, your husband. He finally figured it out though, and he settled my debts yesterday. I am officially back in Bratva's good graces.”

“If you and Oliver are good, why are you still involved in the kidnapping of his pregnant wife?”

“Oh, that! Well, I think to myself, since I am already here, why not stay and make sure Diaz holds up his end of bargain. And good thing I stayed. Look at you! He wasn’t supposed to hurt you.” He shakes his head in an apology. “Lucky for both of us, the meet with Kapushion is tomorrow.”

“But, Anatoly, I told Diaz about Oliver’s bad knee. He is going to use that against him when he comes to get me. He wants to kill him.” Her voice is small and timid and wrought with guilt at the situation she left her husband in.

To Felicity’s dismay, the Russian man actually chuckles. “You think Diaz can kill Kapushion? One reason Oliver is my favorite American: he never loses in fight.”

Felicity, however, is not so easily convinced of her husband’s safety. “But Oliver fights fair. Diaz doesn’t.”

“Will be okay. For now, I am going to sedate you for transfer to our new location, Diaz’s orders. Better to just play along with his plan for now.”

He pulls out a syringe and is heading towards the bend of her neck, but she jerks away. “No, please! I don’t know what kind of drug that is, or if it’s safe for the baby.”

“Do not worry, Miss Felicity. I got this one myself, to make sure it was safe for Baby Kapushion. Same one that was used on you before. The little one will be perfectly safe.”

She can’t see clearly, but Felicity does her best to look into Anatoly’s eyes. What she finds there is not the bitter betrayed man that came to Star City, but the warm smile of one of Oliver’s closest friends. This is a man that Oliver has always been loyal to, that has helped them time and time again, and she can feel it in her soul that she can trust him in this moment.

She nods. “Thank you, Anatoly. Oliver was right, you are an honorable man.” She feels the needle pinch her neck and the room around her fades to black.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Okay guys, the compound Diaz is running his operations out of is huge, so you’ll have to split up. I’ve got bogeys guarding all entrances and on the roof.”

“We’re on site, Mr. Terrific,” Digg says into his comm link. “You’re our eyes, so what’s the plan of attack?”

“Black Canary, you take Arsenal and head to the west side, draw as many of the guards away from their posts as you can. Spartan, you and Speedy circle around back and distract the remaining guards. That should give Green Arrow a relatively straight shot at the east entrance.”

Dinah and Roy take off toward one side of the run-down warehouse, while Thea and Digg make their way to the back. “Everyone, get in position and wait for my signal,” Oliver orders. “Terrific, do you have eyes on Overwatch?”

“I’m on that right now. Give me one more second…got her! There is small room in the middle of the factory with a single heat signature coming from the space, and it’s not moving or patrolling. That’s got to be Felicity. If you go in the east side door, I can get you to her pretty easily. From what I can tell, there is only one guard patrolling that corridor, so you’ll just have to deal with anyone between your current location and that hall.”

“Did everyone get that? Black Canary, Arsenal, Spartan, and Speedy, you guys are going to reroute as many guards as you can away from this side of the compound. The rest are mine. I’ll head inside and go straight for the target. As soon as I signal that I have her, we fall back. Remember, this is a search and rescue mission. Retrieving Overwatch is our number one priority, but make no mistake, if you get a clear shot on Ricardo Diaz, take it.”

“Got it.” Digg, Roy, and Dinah immediately agree. Thea, however, still has a doubt, “Green Arrow, when you say, ‘if we have a shot, take it,’ what exactly – "

“Shoot to take him down, but we only kill as a last resort.”

Thea sighs in relief, glad the week without Felicity didn’t totally drown her brother back in the darkness. “In position, and waiting for your signal,” she replies.

Oliver takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. He must be 100% focused. He is about to get his girls back, and there is no room for error. Suddenly there is a shuffling sound over the comm in his ear, and a new voice appears. “If anyone can do this, it’s you Dad. You can get them home safe. I believe in you.”

His son’s complete confidence in him gives him all the courage he needs. “Thank you,” he whispers back.

There is another shuffling sound and then Curtis is back. “I’m opening up all of the other lines again. Guys, I’ve been watching the patrol routes, and it looks like you’ve got an opening in three, two –“

“Canary, Spartan, you guys are up,” Oliver interrupts, signaling that that mission is a go. He hears Dinah’s cry from across the compound, and the sound of shots fired from John’s gun to draw attention away from him.

“Green Arrow, the plan is working. Give it just a few seconds longer to draw as many out as possible, and you should be clear to go inside right about…now!”

Oliver revs his bike and takes off, speeding toward a loading dock near the southeast corner of the building, furthest from where his teammates have created a distraction. As he approaches the entry, he skids to stop, the screech of his tires altering two rooftop sentries to his presence. Before they even have time to call for backup, both find themselves tied up and dangling from the side of the building, as Oliver sprints beneath them to get inside.

Once inside the building, everything is dark and dingy, all narrow halls and emergency lighting that give the place an eerie yellow glow. "Mr. Terrific, I’m inside the building, where am I going?”

“You should see a main passage on your right. Take that, and then the next left so you’re heading toward the center of the compound. I’ve got at least six heat signatures patrolling before you get to her corridor, and eight heading your way from behind. Looks like our friends on the roof were quicker than we thought.”

“Green Arrow, do you need backup?” It’s Thea’s slightly anxious voice that sounds in his ear. She’s been out of the field for so long, he should have known she would be worried. “Speedy, I’ve got this. Stick with the plan, stay where you are. I will call for backup at the first sign that I need it, but right now, I need you keeping as many of these guys away from Overwatch as possible. Copy?”

She hesitates for a split second, and he can feel her familial instincts wanting to come to his aid, but still she replies, “Copy. The plan is going smoothly here. Just like riding a bike, right Arsenal?”

“If falling off a bike could kill you,” Roy huffs from his end of the comms, and Oliver can hear Digg’s chuckle and picture the accompanying eyeroll he most definitely gave Thea.

It’s at that moment he hears the footsteps coming from behind that Curtis had warned him about, so he turns, readying his bow. The first two that round the corner go down before they know what hits them. Three more approach and they grapple a bit before he gets hold of one by the arm, flipping him over his should and into the man behind them.

He spins, quickly throwing two tranquilizing darts from his thigh holster at a pair of guards further down the hall, grabbing an arrow from his quiver and jabbing it into the upper leg of the one closest to him. There are still two left to deal with, and they aren’t going down without a fight, but he jumps to dodge the man advancing on him, coming down with a powerful punch to his jaw.

As the guard topples to the floor, Oliver vaults over his body, spinning in midair to avoid a blow. He sweeps the other man’s legs out from under him, delivering a hard hit to his temple on the way down to render him unconscious.

“Dude! Did you really just take down eight guys _by yourself?!_ In less than _two minutes_? Badass!” Oliver rolls his eyes at Curtis’s antics, but can’t help cracking a satisfied grin when he hears the sound of he and William high-fiving in the background.

He rounds the next corridor, sticking to Curtis’s instructions and he meets 9 more men on his way to Felicity. None of them give him much trouble, his full focus on reaching his wife. It’s almost as though his soul has recognized her presence. He can feel her light more and more with every step he takes towards her.

“Take the next left turn, and she’s being held at the end of that passage. I only register one heat signature coming from outside her door. Should be a piece of cake.”

He turns the corner, and he only has to take out one guard before he can hold his wife again; he can almost taste the victory. He meets the eyes of the final barrier separating him from his girls and curses under his breath.

“Good to see you again, Kapushion.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to thank everyone for the feedback on the last chapter, it was a really important one for me. 
> 
> Also, thanks to everyone who continues to read this fic whether you are new or have been with me from the beginning. I truly appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my work.
> 
> As usual, I LOVE to read your feedback and comments, so feel free to leave your thoughts!


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 updates in 2 days! 
> 
> Enjoy!

_He turns the corner, and he only has to take out one guard before he can hold his wife again; he can almost taste the victory. He meets the eyes of the final barrier separating him from his girls and curses under his breath._

_“Good to see you again, Kapushion.”_

 

 

“You’ll be interested to know I got call earlier today from Russia. It seems my debts with Bratva have been settled, and my brothers have accepted me once again. I assume I have you to thank for that?”

Slowly, Oliver nods in agreement. While Felicity had been missing and they had gone days without any leads, Oliver made contact with the Bratva and did some dirty work for them in order to pay back the debts he created in Anatoly’s name. It wasn’t pretty, but he had hoped that renewed acceptance from his brothers would allow his old friend to forgive him and possibly even assist in saving Felicity. It was a long shot, so he hadn’t been surprised when he didn’t hear from Anatoly.

“I contacted the Bratva earlier this week. I thought it was high time we moved past the bad blood between us.”

“Quite right you are, Kapushion. We were brothers once.”

“We were,” Oliver agrees, a hint of nostalgia creeping into his voice. Despite recent events, Anatoly was once one of his most trusted friends, his brother, a man he held in similar regard to John Diggle. Oliver abused Anatoly’s trust and friendship, and for that he deserved all of the animosity the other man showed him.

The next words out of Russian man’s mouth are spoken in his native language, but Oliver understands them as clearly as if he had spoken in English. “I see no reason why we should not be brothers once more.” The shock on Oliver’s face must be apparent, as his old friend chuckles at his expression.

“Oliver, you have always been honorable man. Is why you are my favorite American. You lost sight of that honor for a moment, but I can see you are living by it once more. That is enough for me. Diaz, on the other hand…not so honorable. I want to apologize for what has happened to your wife. You must know I never agreed to this kind of treatment. He said we would keep her safe and healthy until you agreed to resign as mayor. I should have known better that to trust him, should have kept a better eye on her. For that, I am truly sorry.”

The conviction is obvious in Anatoly’s voice – even clouded with his disgust for Diaz’s actions – and Oliver believes him immediately, instinctually. He holds out his hand, and Anatoly takes it, his old friend becoming his brother once more. “Thank you,” Oliver tells him, meaning every word, “and I, too, am sorry for the things that have happened between us.”

The other man nods his acceptance and steps aside, giving Oliver an unobstructed path to his wife, and his stomach flutters at the prospect of finally holding her again.

“I must warn you, she has been given a sedative, so she may not be fully aware when you enter the room, but it should wear off within a few hours’ time.”

“Thank you again, Anatoly. I wish you the best of luck with everything in Russia.”

“I hope we meet again soon, my friend. Udachi.” And with that, Anatoly vanishes.

He turns back to the corridor in front of him and rushes towards the door, almost ripping it from its hinges in his haste to get it open. The sight that meets him knocks the breath out him.

His wife, his sunshine, his _Felicity_ has spent the last week in a dirty, seven by seven cell, with only a hard metal bed to sleep on. That’s where he finds her now, crumpled in an uncomfortable looking heap on the corner of the bed, her usually golden strands of hair dulled with blood and dirt.

She’s wearing the same clothes as when he last laid eyes on her, and it’s clear they haven’t allowed her to shower, but that’s not what has him struggling not to vomit the little bit of lunch Thea got him to eat.

She’s been tortured, brutally it seems. This kind, generous, loving woman with a heart of gold was tortured, and he has no clue to what end. Her petite body is caked with blood, and much of it looks fairly fresh. Both her eyes are purple, the normally soft skin around them so swollen it’s unlikely she is able to see at all. Though she appears to be sleeping, based on the way she is cradling her wrist, he guesses it is either broken or sprained and he can’t bring himself to consider what horrors created such a severe injury.

Despite her uncomfortable position, both her arms are wrapped around her small bump, keeping their child safe even when she was unable to do the same for herself. He sends up a silent prayer that their little girl is okay – the thought of never getting to meet and hold her, is too much to bear.

He can’t keep himself across the room any longer, and his bow clatters to the floor as he makes the two strides it takes to cross the room. Dropping to his knees at her side, he brushes hair back from her face, and whispers, “Felicity. Sweetheart, can you hear me?”

She stirs under his fingertips but is only able to open one eye due to all of the swelling on her face. “Ol’ver?” she slurs, the sedative not yet cleared from her system.

“It’s me, baby. It’s Oliver. I’m here. I’m sorry it took me so long, sweetheart, but I’m going to get you out of here. We’re going home, Felicity.”

“Ol’ver.” She smiles as she mumbles his name. “Knew you’d come. Take us home.” Her never-ending faith in him even in the direst of circumstances brings tears to his eyes and he can only nod, too caught up in emotion to get the words out.

She shivers in the cold dankness of the room and he slips his leather jacket off, engulfing her in warmth and she settles into the fabric, breathing in his scent with a content sigh.

He scoops her small frame into his arms, and she immediately squirms, wriggling around to get comfortable and nuzzling her cheek into his chest. He clicks on his mic, hoping his line is still open to the whole team. “Target acquired. I have Overwatch and we are exiting the compound. Fall back, meet at the rendezvous point.”

He grabs his bow on the way out the door and compared to the weight that is lifted off his shoulders at having his wife back, Felicity feels weightless in the cradle of his arms.

They make it about halfway out of the warehouse when the hair at the back of Oliver’s neck stands up. He glances down at his wife, snoozing comfortably where she’s snuggled in his embrace. When he raises his head again, he finds the source of his unease. The Dragon himself is standing at the opposite end of the hall, blocking the only route for an escape.

A menacing chuckles echoes through the corridor. “Well, well, well, what do we have here? The Queens, back together again. How sweet. I hate to breakup this heartwarming reunion, but I’m afraid we do have more pressing matters to attend to.”

To this point, his rage had been clouded by his concern for getting Felicity out of this hell hole safely, but the sound of Diaz laughing fills Oliver with unbridled fury.

“Stand down, Diaz,” Oliver growls. “You lost. It’s over.”

“Now that’s where you’re wrong. You’re the one who has lost, Mr. Queen, and I don’t intend for either of you to leave this building. Not alive, anyway.”

Oliver takes a quick glance at his surroundings and spots an alcove to his right. He quickly and carefully deposits Felicity’s sleeping form there and by the time he turns back around, Diaz is on him.

The fight is not evenly matched. Diaz is sloppy, fighting with his emotions and not his head. Oliver lets his anger on behalf of his wife power him, but not consume him. Unlike Diaz, he knows how to channel his fury and use it to his advantage.

Diaz has no training, and Oliver gains the upper hand quickly, raining punches and kicks, holding nothing back as he fights the man that dared to hurt his Felicity. When Diaz hits the floor, Oliver lands a series of blows to Diaz’s face and then the other man is bleeding, nose broken, and his increasing anger has left him with almost no finesse as he tries to fight back.

Oliver hits him with a swift kick to the leg as he stands back up, and the noise his boot creates as it connects with flesh has Oliver sure something is broken. Diaz stumbles, and Oliver kicks him again, causing him to collapse the rest of the way to the concrete floor. He throws more punches, pelting Diaz’s torso as he growls, “This is for putting your hands on my wife.”

Suddenly, Oliver’s long-buried instinct to kill takes over and within seconds he has him in a headlock. One jerk of his arm will break his neck easily, but as he catches a glimpse of Felicity tucked away in the alcove, he remembers the man she helped him become. With a deep breath to reign himself back in, Oliver gives him one last chance to leave the warehouse alive.

“Yield. Stand down so I don’t have to end your life.”

“Never.”

Ricardo Diaz jerks, reaching for something, and Oliver shouts as he feels a knife stabbed under his ribs. Without his leather jacket to act as armor, the blade goes in all the way to the hilt and the shock of pain causes Oliver to loosen his grip, letting Diaz slip away.

Gritting his teeth, Oliver yanks the knife out, hoping there will be no lasting damage. He is about to push his way to his feet, but he stumbles, off-balance from favoring the new wound. Somehow, despite the leg Oliver thought he had broken, Diaz is able to struggle to his feet faster.

He doesn’t have any time to react as the other man lifts his good leg, bringing it down hard on Oliver’s bad knee as he screams in agony. No longer able to get up, he reaches behind him snatching an arrow from his quiver and jabbing it hard into his enemy’s thigh. Diaz cries out in pain but yanks the arrow out and it clatters to the ground as he punches Oliver square in the jaw.

Suddenly two men appear behind him, each grabbing him by an arm and yanking him to his feet, restraining him so he can no longer fight. He looks at Felicity, still unconscious and tucked away, and he realizes this time he might not be able to save her. Unfortunately, Diaz follows his gaze, only just remembering Felicity’s presence.

“I’ll think I’ll kill your wife first – make you watch. Then you can have your turn,” Diaz sneers. He steps toward Felicity but with her life in danger, there is no injury or restraint that could stop Oliver. He wrenches himself away from his captors, scrambling towards Felicity and leaving a trail of blood in his wake to place himself in front of her. “No,” he begs. “Let her go, it’s me you need. She means nothing to your plan. With me out of the picture, the city will be yours. Let her go.”

“I think we both know that’s not true. She’s integral to your mission, and even with you gone, she would still come after me. I’m getting you both out of my way tonight. Now, move aside.” He kicks Oliver in the stomach, hard enough to double him over, then shoves him to the side. He’s lost a lot of blood, and he can’t get his beaten body to move fast enough, leaving just enough time for Diaz’ s lackeys to grab him again, their grip on him tighter this time around.

Diaz pulls out his gun, the barrel butting up against his wife’s unsuspecting head.

Tears pool in Oliver’s eyes and he can hear himself shouting, pleading, sobbing, but all he can focus on is Felicity’s face, still incredibly beautiful despite the bruises and blood.  He can’t lose her – can’t lose them. Felicity’s eyes open for a split second, and it’s that glimpse of baby blue that launches him into action.

Faster than he ought to be able to move with his injuries, he tears himself out of the grasp of the guards, leaving them each with a tranq dart in the leg. At the sound of the commotion, Ricardo Diaz makes a fatal mistake: he loses his focus on Felicity, turning instead towards Oliver. The man doesn’t even have a moment to understand what is happening before the snap of the bowstring sounds three consecutive times in the quiet of the hall.

Three arrows fly across the space, imbedding firmly in Diaz’s chest. The gun clatters to the ground and a look of shock crosses the Dragon’s face as he collapses on to the hard concrete floor.

The Green Arrow’s body gives out under the strain of injuries and blood loss, and he topples to the floor in a jumble of leather coated limbs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> If you've got time, leave me a comment! (Thoughts, suggestions, criticisms, and praise are all appreciated)


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm behind on replying to comments, but I'll get to it as soon as I can. I start school Monday and I may not have much time to write for quite some time, so I'd like to try to get one more chapter up tomorrow if time permits. Thank you so much to everyone who has stuck with this story all this time. If this is the last chapter I upload for a while, just know that I promise to finish this story the way it deserves (just maybe not as quickly as I'd like). 
> 
> With that said, I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

When death doesn’t come, Oliver opens his eyes, his gaze immediately finding his wife. Felicity is still sleeping soundly, curled up in the floor of the alcove, exactly as he left her. Her earlier injuries notwithstanding, she seems unharmed. His blue eyes fall on the steady rise and fall of her chest and a fresh wave of moisture forms in eyes because his wife is _alive_.

He hears a moan off to the side and turns to see Diaz crumpled on the hard ground, blood oozing from his chest and pooling around his body. After a brief look at his enemy, Oliver’s attention immediately goes back to Felicity. He grits his teeth and sets his knee back in place with a grunt of pain. He limps over to Felicity’s still form, kneeling at her side. Her pulse is normal under his fingertips and he is glad she was sedated for everything that just occurred.

He rips a length of fabric off of the bottom of her dress to tie around his torso hoping to stem some of the bleeding from the knife wound. The fabric is thick and elastic and the best he can do under current conditions. Just as he is about to lift her back into his arms, Oliver hears a gravelly chuckle from behind him.

“You think you’ve won, Oliver, but you’re wrong. I anticipated that this might happen, so I had a contingency in place just in case. The entire building is rigged with explosives, and I just clicked the switch. You’ll never make it out in time.”

“I’m going to make sure you don’t. This is for my family.”

He lets a restraining arrow fly right toward Diaz. He turns away before it reaches its destination, but Oliver Queen does not miss, and he has no doubt he hit the target, ensuring he is unable to move from his current position – though the three arrows already lodged in his chest would have likely done the trick anyway.

Panic takes over and he quickly hoists Felicity into his arms and runs as fast as his injuries allow toward their escape. He is panting, his body protesting due to the added weight and the injuries, but the light from the entrance is in sight, and relief courses through his body.

He hears the sound of explosions getting closer and closer, but still he keeps running. Only 50 more feet to go. A blast to his left sends him flying away from the exit and he turns in the air to cushion Felicity on top of his body as they land.

The realization hits that they are not making it out of the building before it goes up in a cloud of smoke, so he covers Felicity’s body with his and prays that they can make it out alive.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_“Green Arrow, the extraction is taking longer than we planned. Do you need backup?”_

_“Green Arrow, we are at the rendezvous point. What is your position?”_

_“Why isn’t he answering?”_

_“Guys…I just picked up heat signatures off the charts…there was an explosion at the compound.”_

_“Do you have eyes on them?! Are they still in there?”_

_“There’s too much heat for the infrared to pick human bodies up. I’ll have to wait until the smoke clears.”_

_“Green Arrow, DO YOU COPY?”_

_“I’m going back there.”_

_“Just give him a minute to locate them. It won’t do us any good to go in blind.”_

_“I have them! Green Arrow’s suit tracker shows him just inside the compound. I’m picking up two bodies there on the infrared.”_

_“Oliver, hang on. We’re bringing backup.”_

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As he comes to, Oliver vaguely picks up the panicked voices of his team members in his ear. His sister is frantic, but when he tries to click on his mic to let them know he’s okay, he finds that the explosion has rendered it useless.

He lifts up his body and finds Felicity still out underneath him, one of his arms shielding her stomach, the other protecting her head. He checks her pulse and gives her a once-over, but she doesn’t seem to be in any worse condition than when he found her, so he pulls himself to his feet, taking his wife back into his arms.

A residual blast off to his right alerts him to the fact that the building is still exploding, crumbling down around them, and he sprints the remaining 25 yards to the exit, praying his team took care of the rest of the guards.

Fresh air clears the smoke from his airway and he chokes for a moment before he feels his lungs filling up with oxygen, giving him his second wind. He slinks into the shadows to make his way to their meeting point.

After a few minutes of walking – limping – a feeling of unease creeps over him again and he notices movement in the darkness ahead. He tenses for another fight, unsure if his body would be able to survive it should it come.

He is considering hiding Felicity out of harm’s way when he recognizes the calm, determined gait of John Diggle coming towards him and he sags in relief.

Before he can say a word, Thea comes flying at him, and he tenses for impact just as Roy grabs her around the waist holding her back and he shoots his sister’s boyfriend a grateful look. He’s unsteady on his feet and she would have knocked him to pavement easily despite their difference in stature.

Thea gasps as she comes closer and catches a glimpse of her sister-in-law. “Ollie…is she?”

He sighs. “We got to her in time. I think…I think they tortured her, but she’s breathing. I don’t know…I can’t be sure about baby.” His voice cracks into a whisper as he mentions their unborn child, but he takes a deep breath. There will be a time when he can break down, but right now he needs to take care of his family. “Digg, can you call Barry and see if he can bring Caitlin and meet us at the bunker? We need a doctor as soon as possible.”

“It looks like you both need a hospital,” Digg suggests calmly, as the rest of the team offers their agreement with his suggestion.

“No.” Oliver’s tone leaves no room for argument. “I have no idea how many people in this city are working on Diaz’s payroll, and I sure as _hell_ am not going to let anyone practice medicine on my wife and unborn child unless I am one hundred percent sure I can trust them. Caitlin is an incredible doctor, and the only one I trust to take care of my family right now.”

Thea puts her hands up in resignation. “Ollie…Oliver…maybe you could let Digg carry Felicity and you could call Barry? I mean you’ve had a rough – “

“I think he’s got her, Thea,” Roy interrupts, and again Oliver is thankful for his presence. He is dead on his feet, but the only way anyone is taking Felicity out of his arms is over his dead body.

At the van Thea again insists Oliver lay his wife down, but he simply ignores her, climbing in the back and cradling her against him, content to hold her for the rest of their lives.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Barry and Caitlin are already at the bunker when they arrive, and Oliver takes Felicity directly to the med table. He lays her down gently, still holding tightly to her hand as Caitlin gets to work. “Oliver…” Barry breathes as he claps him on the shoulder, communicating every bit of his apology and sympathy with only Oliver’s name.

“Thanks for coming, Barry.” The younger man only nods, squeezing Oliver’s shoulder before he leaves Caitlin to her work.

“Dad!” The shout comes only moments before William slams into his side, Oliver immediately wrapping his arm around his boy. He gasps when he takes in Felicity’s prone form, turning worried eyes on his father. “Dad? Is Felicity okay?”

“William…” he trails off on a sigh, wishing yet again that his son never had to experience these horrors. “Felicity is in pretty bad shape. I…I don’t know if I got to her in time. But Caitlin is an incredible doctor and she is going to do everything she can to help Felicity, okay? I don’t want you to worry just yet. Felicity wouldn’t want us to lose hope.”

He pulls William closer to his body, hoping they can both find comfort in each other as they wait for Caitlin’s assessment. A simple look to Digg conveys everything that needs to be said, and the older man takes the rest of the team across the bunker to the give the family some privacy.

It feels like it’s been hours – in reality its only been about twenty minutes – when William’s impatience reaches it’s peak. “I never even told her I love her,” the boy whispers, and a tear slips out of his father’s eye.

He hugs William ever closer, replying, “She knew, buddy. Even if you didn’t say it, she knew.”

“But…do you think I’ll ever get to tell her myself? What if something is wrong? What if she isn’t okay?”

Before Oliver can answer, Caitlin intervenes. “All things considered, Felicity is very lucky. I don’t see any signs of permanent damage. These cuts are all superficial, so sutures aren’t necessary, and I see no sign of internal injury or bleeding. The sedative they gave her is completely safe for pregnant women, but it is quite strong and will probably take several hours to wear off. Her right wrist is broken, and I’ll set it and cast it as soon as the local anesthetic starts working. She’s a little malnourished, so I’m pumping nutrients through her IV. You’ll need to make sure she’s eating well to ensure the baby gets enough nourishment.”

She pauses her spiel, meeting Oliver’s eyes with a comforting smile. “She’s going to be okay Oliver.”

“And…the baby?”

“Healthy as can be. You’ve got a little fighter.”

“Like her mother,” he whispers, a small smile gracing his face.

Oliver lets out a choked sob, but William looks at him with nothing but pride. “I knew you would bring them home, Dad.”

Once she’s finished with Felicity, Caitlin checks Oliver out at everyone’s insistence. He’s got a concussion from the blast, but the knife didn’t hit any of hiss vital organs, so with some quick stitches and instructions to wear his knee brace for the foreseeable future, Caitlin clears him. She and Barry both offer their congratulations on the pregnancy before the two leave, Caitlin promising to be back in a few days for a follow-up.

Oliver turns to his teammates; his family and friends. With his son still tucked under one arm and the other grasping Felicity’s limp hand, he offers his thanks. “I can’t begin to thank you all enough for helping me tonight. My family is safe and whole because of all of you and I am eternally grateful for that. I know we’ve all had our differences, but I hope tonight will be the first step in trying to mend some of those bridges. You should all head home and get some rest. I’ll keep everyone updated on Felicity’s condition.”

Goodbyes are said, and eventually only John and William remain. “William, why don’t you come home with me. I have a spare bed that’s calling your name,” Digg offers.

“Dad, I wanna stay with you. And Felicity.”

Oliver shakes his head. “William, you’re exhausted, and you’ve been living in this bunker for a week. What you need is a good night’s sleep in a real bed. I promise you can come back first thing in the morning, but you heard Caitlin, it will be hours before Felicity wakes up anyway.”

The boy isn’t happy with the plan, his facial expression makes that quite clear, but he doesn’t argue as he goes to gather up his things to head home with Diggle.

“John, thank you, for everything. I wouldn’t have survived any of this without you.”

“I think we both know that’s not true Oliver. If nothing else, you’ve always been a survivor. It’s something I’ve always admired about you.”

“Still, I owe you a lot. I wouldn’t be here today without your friendship and guidance.” His friend nods, heading toward the elevator to wait for William.

William stops to give Oliver a hug before departing, and Oliver bends down, looking him in the eye as he says, “William, thank you so much for always having faith in me. I couldn’t have done this without you. I love you.”

“I love you too, Dad. Don’t forget to call me as soon as Felicity wakes up.”

He ruffles Williams hair before he sends him on his way, and then it’s just the two of them; Oliver and Felicity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! :)


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be my last one for awhile, and it's on the short side, but I couldn't take such a long break without giving you guys this scene.
> 
> Enjoy!

When Felicity wakes, her head is pounding and she can’t even open her eyes. She is plagued with remnants of her dreams, bits and pieces of events she doesn’t remember – events that never happened.

She dreamt of Oliver, dreamt that he found her, saved her. She saw Ricardo Diaz, dead on the floor in front of her, explosions consuming him. She felt safe, dreaming she was snuggled in Oliver’s arms once more, but the hard surface of her cell bed is enough to let her know none of it was real.

She turns off her mind, begging sleep to take her again, needing to see Oliver, even if only in her dreams.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For two hours, Oliver stood diligently by his wife’s sleeping body, holding her hand, watching the monitors for any changes. At hour two, she began to stir and whimper, the adorable crease in her brow altering him to her discomfort.

He knows how much difficulty she’s had sleeping comfortable during the pregnancy, and he can’t leave her on the hard metal table any longer. He wheels the med table to the large bed in the corner, and carefully watching her tubes and wires, transfers her to the soft mattress.

Quickly slipping out of his leather pants and t-shirt, he gingerly climbs in next to her, wanting to be as close as possible. It’s almost as though her body can sense his presence and the moment he gets settled under the blanket she squirms toward him, whimpering softly as she seeks out his warmth.

Not wanting her to mess up the IV or the monitors, he slides to her half of the bed, carefully wrapping her in up in his arms, avoiding all of the cables as he pulls her into his bare chest. A happily little hum slips out from between her swollen lips as she nuzzles into his skin and a gust of breath he didn’t know he’d been holding rushes out of his lungs as he finally lets himself feel relief.

His wife – his light, his life, his everything – is okay. She is safe, their baby girl is safe, and they are _home._ He saved them. A delirious sobs busts from his mouth as tears of joy pour from his eyes.

He drops kisses across the crown of her head, burying his face in her hair and drifts off to sleep with her, holding his girls once more.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next time Felicity wakes, it’s a feeling that brings her out of her slumber. For the first time in over a week, she feels _safe._ More sensations start to bombard her senses and she registers the soft coziness of a mattress beneath her aching body.

When her body recognizes a pair of strong arms pressing her against a firm body, her first instinct should be to panic. The last place she remembers being was locked in Diaz’s cell, but something stops her from worrying. There is never a time that she wouldn’t feel completely at peace in these arms.

_Oliver_. The realization that he’s finally holding her again has her eyes snapping open. She can’t see much with all of the swelling and the lack of glasses, but there is no mistaking the amount of love she finds in the stormy blue eyes that are staring down at her.

Neither one speaks – too caught up in the moment to form coherent words – but when a tear slips down Felicity’s cheek Oliver brushes it away and pulls her into his chest. The moment she makes contact with his bare skin, the floodgates open and Oliver holds her close as she sobs, gently rocking her and making soothing sounds in her ear.

She isn’t sure how long they lay like that, wrapped in one another’s embrace as she cries, but eventually the need to see his gorgeous face takes over and Felicity pulls back to look at him.

“Oliver.” She whispers it, afraid to break the quiet of the moment for fear she might wake up from this glorious dream, but she knows he understands everything she is trying to say.

He leans in close, gently resting his forehead against hers and just breathes her in for a moment, reassuring himself she is here before he speaks. “Hi,” he says softly. “I missed you so much, baby.”

“I don’t understand, how are you here? Diaz…he wasn’t going to make a fair trade. He was going to…he wanted you…” she can’t say the words aloud, still too afraid this is all a dream, but not wanting to wake up either way.

“We found you before the trade. My incredible, beautiful, genius wife hid tracking devices in our wedding bands. It led me right to you. You are remarkable.” He smiles at her adoringly and her heart aches with guilt as she remembers what Diaz made her do.

“Oliver…are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

“Nothing I haven’t dealt with before. Caitlin stitched up a stab wound, and I’m strictly walking with my brace until further notice. She said it may take longer for my knee to heal this time. It took a direct hit.”

She starts to cry when he tells her what she’s done, but he mistakes her guilt for fear. “Shh. It’s okay, honey. You don’t need to worry. I’ll recover just fine and what is most important is that you and the baby are going to be okay. Caitlin was here a few hours ago and she did a full examination on both of you. You’re both going to be just fine.”

Oliver’s selfless concern for his family only makes Felicity cry harder. “Baby, its okay. You’re okay. What’s wrong? Tell me.”

“I’m sorry!” she sobs. “I tried, but he was going to hurt her. I couldn’t let him hurt her!”

“Hey, hey, calm down. I don’t know what you’re talking about, honey.”

“Diaz,” she spits out between sniffles and whimpers. “He…he tortured me. He wanted to know how he could beat you. I didn’t want to tell him, I wasn’t going to, but then he…he was going to hurt the baby. He tried to kick my stomach, and I blocked the first one, but Oliver…I couldn’t let him hurt our little girl. I told him about your bad knee. I’m so sorry.”

Oliver pales as she describes what Diaz did to her, his face turning hard for a moment as he looks away, before softening as he looks back to her. “No, baby. Don’t _ever_ apologize for that. You were incredible. I love you all the more for trying to protect me, but I'm okay. My knee will heal. What is important is that you protected our girl. That’s what mother’s do, they look out for their children. I am _so_ proud of you.”

He dries her tears, kissing her forehead gently. “Don’t cry baby.”

“Thank you,” she whispers. “Thank you for loving me and forgiving me. Thank you for always coming after me.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t get there sooner. I never stopped looking for you.” He suddenly pulls her up against his chest, burying his face in the top of her head. “I thought I lost you both. Don’t ever scare me like that again," he whispers, a few tears leaking out and wetting her hair.

A soft chuckle bursts out of her mouth against his chest. “I don’t plan to –“

Oliver cuts her off by placing his lips tenderly against her bruised ones, and it’s like she’s officially home. The kiss is delicate, Oliver being careful not hurt her, and it ends much too soon for Felicity. She lets out a sound of protest when he pulls away and he smiles softly at her, kissing her one more time.

“The moment you are full healed, I’ll give you the reunion kiss you deserve,” he promises, his words just a ghost of breath against her mouth. Heat burns through her at his words, but she knows her body is in no shape for anything more than this at the moment.

“I’ll hold you to that, mister.”

“I was hoping you would.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said before the chapter, I'm going to be taking a rather long break because I start school tomorrow. Thanks so much for following along on my debut into the world of writing and fanfiction - I have loved every minute of it, and I appreciate everyone who has read even a single chapter of this story. That being said, don't give up on this one! I have every intention of finishing this story, but I don't want it to feel forced or rushed. It might be a few months before I have time to write again, but I will definitely be back.
> 
> Thanks again!!!


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! If you're still here after my long hiatus, thank you so much for your patience. I started medical school at the beginning of August and I haven't had a single spare moment to write. Luckily, I have the whole week off for Thanksgiving, so I'm hoping to get at least a couple of chapters up before I start back on Monday. I am immensely behind on replying to comments, and I'm not sure I'll get a chance to answer them all, but know that I read and appreciate every single one.
> 
> I know this is supposed to be an alternate ending to season 6 and we are well into season 7 so there may be less of an audience for this fic at this point. That being said, we're really winding down this story, and I'm just focusing on wrapping it up in a way that makes sense and feels right. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Oliver wakes to Felicity snuggled in his arms fast asleep, the exhaustion of the past week finally hitting her. He kisses her forehead before carefully disentangling himself from where he is wrapped around her. She whines a little when he moves away, but he pushes his pillow towards her, and she buries her face in it, breathing in his smell with a content sigh.

A smile on his face, Oliver takes one last look at his wife and heads back into the main space of the bunker to find his phone.

“Oh!”

The surprised shout has Oliver glancing to his right, eyes landing on Caitlin where she is standing with her hands over her eyes. After a brief moment of confusion, he looks down at his body, taking in his bare chest and tight boxer briefs.

“I am so sorry!” he rushes to apologize. “I’ll be right back.”

He practically runs toward the locker room, throwing on a pair of sweatpants and a shirt before making his way out to great Caitlin, a sheepish look on his face.

“Caitlin, I am so sorry. I was just coming to find my phone, so I could check on William and I wasn’t expecting anyone to be here.”

“It’s okay. I tried to call, but you didn’t answer. I guess I should have waited for a call back.”

“So, what can I do for you?”

“Well, I had Barry bring me back so I could take another look at Felicity. I know I said I’d be back in a few days, and that probably would have been fine, but I know how important this pregnancy is to you guys, and I felt like I needed to monitor them both a little more closely for the first couple of days. Iris and Barry both offered to give me a hand. They should be back any minute…I hope you don’t mind?”

“Of course not! Thank you so much for taking such good care of my family, Caitlin. I can’t tell you how much it means to me.”

She smiles at him warmly, offering her hand, but Oliver pulls her in for a hug. “Thank you,” he whispers again. When he steps back from her, he gives her his best Green Arrow glare. “Don’t tell Barry about the hug, he’ll never leave me alone about it.”

She chuckles lightly. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Now, what on earth have you done with my patient? I leave for less than twenty-four hours and already I come back to an empty bed.”

Gesturing her to follow him, he leads her to the back of the bunker where the bed is stashed. “I’m sorry, it’s just…she looked so uncomfortable and I know how restless she’s been during the pregnancy. I held out for a few hours, but when she started moaning and tossing, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I wasn’t going to let her suffer any more than she already had. I was very careful with all of her wires, and she slept great once I moved her to the bed.”

Caitlin shakes her head in disapproval. “Oliver Queen, you had no business lifting her with all of the injuries you sustained. If you would have told me before I left that you had a bed available, I would have been all for moving her to a more comfortable location. You better not have pulled any of those stitches. That being said, if it offered her even a little comfort after the hell she’s had to live through, I’m glad you did it.”

He smiles at her, his gratitude obvious. “Has she woken up at all yet?”

“Yeah, earlier. She was…she was pretty emotional, but I was expecting that. We talked though, and she seemed…as good as could be expected. I think it helped to wake up to a familiar face.”

“I’d say it helped to wake up to _your face_ ,” she tells him with a sly grin. “I’m sure that made her feel safe. It’s a great sign that she was coherent. I’ll probably try to run most of my tests while she’s asleep. I don’t want to put her through any more stress.”

He nods, happy she has Felicity’s mental and emotional state prioritized just as much as her physical health.  “Caitlin, do you think…I mean, obviously I know you’re a doctor and not a babysitter, but if you don’t mind, would it be okay if I ran out for half an hour? I hate to leave her, but she is sleeping and it’s just…William. He’s had a rough go of it the past week, and I just want to give him some semblance of normalcy. I thought I might pick him up from Digg’s and take him to breakfast. It would be quick. He’s dying to get back here and see Felicity.”

“That’s not a problem. Go, take care of your son. Felicity is in good hands here. If you don’t mind to just wait until Barry gets here though, maybe you guys could move her back to the med table? I know you want her to be comfortable, but it will be much easier to do what I need to do if she’s not in the bed.”

Twenty minutes later, after he made sure his wife was as comfortable as possible on the metal table, Oliver kisses Felicity’s forehead, whispering “I’ll be right back,” into her hair, and then he is out the door, on the way to pick up his son.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cold seeps into Felicity’s bones and she squeezes her eyes shut, unwilling to wake up. She had been having the most wonderful dream. Oliver found her, saved her, and she had been safe and sound in his arms again.

Tears pool behind her eyelids when she registers the harsh metal of her cell bed beneath her, realizing it was all a dream, just as she feared. Opening her eyes, bright lights blind her. The world is blurry without her glasses, but she sees a face staring down at her, surgical mask in place.

Her heart rate skyrockets as she fears the worst. They must be doing something to the baby.

A hand lands on her should her and she jerks away from the touch. “Felicity,” a voice says, but the sound is muffled from the roaring in her ears. She starts to flail when two large hands grip her wrists, securing them to the table. The restraints only act to enhance her terror and she begins to shout at her captors, begging them for mercy.

“No! Please! Please don’t hurt her. I’ll do anything! Don’t hurt the baby!”

“Felicity, you need to calm down,” the face behind the mask advises her, but how can she be calm when Diaz has his lackeys experimenting on her? “It’s not good for you or the baby. You’re safe here.”

She begins to cry in earnest at the words. She wants – no _needs_ – Oliver. Only then will she feel safe. Tied down, there is nothing Felicity can do apart from sobbing and begging. She begins to shout for her husband, all the while knowing that shouting won’t make him appear.

“Oliver! Oliver, help! Please!”

The person in the mask turns to another of her captors. “He should have been back by now. Have you heard from him? There is no way she is going to calm down until she sees him, and I really don’t want to sedate her again.”

The sobbing, animalistic sounds coming from her throat only get louder when she realizes they are bringing in Ricardo Diaz himself to get her to shut up. If she can just calm down, maybe she can at least negotiate with him. She can’t let anything happen to their baby.

A sudden commotion distracts her, followed by the sound of footsteps charging toward her at a run. Felicity steels herself for whatever pain is about to come, but instead of a blow, a warm palm gently cups her cheek. That’s when she hears it. _His voice_.

“Felicity.” It’s a sound more beautiful than any song she’s ever heard and her eyes snap open, finding familiar blue. She sniffles through another sob, this one in relief, tears and snot mixing as they run down her face.

“Shh, shhh. Hey, it’s okay, you’re okay, I’m here. You’re safe, sweetheart. I’m here with you.” He releases her from the restraints on her wrist and immediately she reaches out, needing to touch him, to hold on to him, keep him there with her.

He gathers her up into his arms, cradling her gently against his chest and he whispers in her ear as he walks them towards a quiet corner. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here when you woke up. You must have been so scared. I got stuck in traffic on my way back from picking up William. I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere.”

“Last…night…” she chokes out as she attempts to catch her breath.

“Last night was real, honey. You’re home and you’re safe,” he soothes, somehow knowing exactly what to say to calm her fears.

A sob of relief heaves out from her chest as she collapses against him even more. He strokes her back, gently rocking her, letting her calm down and accept that she is in a safe place.

“I’m sorry you were so scared. The masks are just a precaution because Caitlin thinks your immune system is probably compromised from everything you’ve gone through.”

She nods against his chest, the grip she has on his shirt loosening as she begins to calm. Foot falls to her right alert her to the presence of another person, and she peaks out from Oliver’s chest to see her son looking at her, concern etched into his innocent features.

“Hey buddy,” she whispers, voice throaty from screaming just five minutes prior.

“Felicity…” he trails off, his weight switching from foot to foot in a nervous gesture that he inherited straight from Oliver Queen’s DNA. Her heart warms at the sight. Sometimes they are so much alike.

“I’m really glad you’re okay Felicity,” he starts again, nerves still evident in the way he holds himself, but he powers through his fear. Like father, like son.

“Felicity I…I just wanted to tell you…When you were gone, I realized that I…”

“Wow my rambling really has worn off on you,” she teases, already feeling more like herself now that her boys are here. He grins back at her, the joke putting him slightly more at ease. “You should see Dad, he’s been babbling all week.”

She smiles, glancing up at Oliver where he is still holding her tightly to his chest and he shrugs.

“I just thought you should know,” William starts again, obviously wanting to say what he came to say, “I love you, Felicity, and I’m really glad you are my step-mom. You do so much for me and I never thank you enough and I know I’ve never said it but, I love you and I just wanted you to know.”

Tears fill her eyes, a few already running over and down her cheek at his beautiful words. “I know, kiddo,” she finally replies, “but thank you so much for being brave enough to say it out loud. I love you so much, William.”

She tugs on Oliver’s shirt, signaling for him to let her down, and with his hands still on her waist to support her, she takes a step to close the distance between her and her son, pulling him in for a hug. He hugs her back immediately, being ever-so gentle, as he buries his face into her neck. She can feel a few tears of his own seep out and wet her skin. “I’m really happy you’re okay,” he whispers. “I was really scared.”

“I know,” she reassures him, “but your dad always takes care of us. We just have to have faith in him.”

Upon hearing her words, Oliver joins the group hug, his long arms enveloping them both, making them feel safer than anywhere else in the world. He leans down, placing his lips right to Felicity’s ear so only she can hear what he has to say.

“You make our family whole,” he whispers, causing a new stream of tears to go rushing down her cheek bones. Oliver kisses William’s head, and then Felicity’s before lifting her back into his arms and taking her back to the med bay.

She snuggles her cheek against his chest and grips his arm tight. It’s only Caitlin waiting for her, but she can’t get the image of the masked captor out of her mind. As always, Oliver knows exactly what she is thinking.

“Don’t worry. She just wants to do some routine tests to make sure everything is okay with you and the baby. I’ll be with you the whole time.”

“And then we can go home?” she whines, placing her chin on his chest as she looks up at him with her best puppy dog eyes.

He chuckles and shakes his head because they both know he can never refuse her even without her signature pout. “Yes. Then I am taking you straight home. You and our little one deserve a good night’s sleep in your own bed.”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once Oliver calms her down, is doesn’t take Caitlin long to run the remainder of her tests. She lets them know that both Felicity and the baby are still doing well, but she’s going to remain in Star City for a few more days to make sure.

“Thanks for doing this, Caitlin. Oliver and I both really appreciate it.”

“Of course, Felicity. You guys are like family. I’m glad I was able to help.” Her kind smile reminds Felicity of what a good friend Caitlin has been to them over the years.

“You checked on Oliver when we got back as well, right?”

Caitlin laughs, glancing over at where her husband is talking with William with a good-natured eyeroll. “It took every single person in the bunker, including your son, to convince him, but yes, I checked him over.”

“How is he?” It’s something that’s been bothering Felicity since the moment she woke up in his arms. He assured her he was fine, but he always down plays his injuries, and she could feel the tension in his body as he held her earlier, the way he favored his bad leg.

“He’s going to be fine, Felicity. He has a minor concussion from the explosion, but the knife didn’t hit anything vital so he’s all good there. He’s had worse, I’m sure. His knee…it will take some time to heal. I wasn’t there, but from what I understand, there was a direct blow to his knee and then he had to walk on it while carrying you out of the compound where you were being held. I’m not sure it will ever be back to the state it was in before he injured it the first time, but if he follows my orders, I don’t see any reason why he can’t get it back to nearly full function with time.”

She pales as Caitlin relays the story of what went down during her rescue. In her drug-induced haze, it seems she missed not only an explosion but also Oliver carrying her to safety.

“All things considered, I think you’re both very lucky.”

“Thanks again. For everything.”

As the two women say their goodbyes, the elevator dings open and at a shout of her name, Felicity looks up to see her sister-in-law hurrying toward her. Thea slows at the last minute, suddenly remembering Felicity’s various injuries, but she still finds herself wrapped in the other woman’s embrace.

“It’s so good to see you up and around,” Thea breathes into her hair. “I was so worried. Ollie…he...” she trails off, pulling back to look at Felicity, her eyes running over her body, cataloging injuries. “Well, let’s just say I’m so so so happy to have you back, for all of your sakes.”

Though Thea didn’t say it out loud, Felicity knows she was thinking of how Oliver handled her disappearance. From what she can tell, it certainly took its toll. He’s thinner, the bags under his eyes deeper than she’s seen them since he first came back from the island. It breaks her heart to think of what he went through while she was away, trying to take care of their son while also doing everything he could to find and save his wife and daughter.

“Thanks for coming to help Thea.” When Thea opens her mouth to reply, Felicity quickly finishes her thought. “Not just for helping with the rescue op. I can’t imagine how much it helped Oliver and William to have you here. I know they both had a really tough time this week.”

Thea gives her sister-in-law a warm, knowing smile before pulling her into another hug. “It was my pleasure. It’s going to be good for both of them to have you back home. I’m so happy you’re okay. Both of you,” she amends, with a meaningful nod at Felicity’s belly. “I’m going to go find Ollie.”

“You gave us all quite a scare, you know.” The deep voice from behind her startles Felicity, but when she turns around and comes face to face with Roy Harper, every hint of trepidation vanishes as she yanks him down for a tight hug.

“It’s so good to see you, Roy.”

“You too, even if you look like hell,” he answers with a wink. He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out her glasses with a flourish. “Oliver called Thea and asked us to pick these up from your place on our way over here. I guess since it’s Mrs. Queen now, I answer to you too, huh?”

She smiles sheepishly at him but can’t help flashing her wedding band in response to his teasing as she takes the glasses, gingerly placing them on her swollen face. Her eyes still aren’t able to open all the way, but at least this way her narrow field of vision is no longer blurry.

“Thea told me but…I couldn’t quite believe it until I saw it myself. Oliver…he’s different.”

She glances behind her to where Roy’s gaze has drifted to see her husband, his arm slung across Thea’s shoulders as he reaches out to ruffle William’s hair, his face lit up with laughter.

“That man you see over there…that’s the man I’ve always seen when I look at Oliver. It just took some time for him to feel comfortable enough to be himself. He has finally learned not to let fear rule over him. He’s let himself be loved, let himself be happy. It’s all I’ve ever wanted for him.”

“I always did wonder what you saw in him,” Roy jokes, pretending to be hurt when Felicity punches his bicep. “I guess congratulations are in order for the wedding, and something else too.”

She follows his eyes to where her hands have unconsciously rested on the soft swell of her stomach and when she meets his eyes again, she can see the genuine happiness he has for them. “Thank you. If you would’ve asked me a couple of years ago if Oliver and I could have all of this…well this was something I thought I could only have in my wildest dreams. I can’t even begin to tell you how wonderful it is to get to have this life with the man I love. It’s something I hope you’ll have one day too.”

She says the last part with a not-so-subtle look to where Thea is standing across the room, but when she looks back to Roy, she sees his eyes have already found her.

“I hope for that too. I’m not sure how we’re going to make it work, but…I’m tired of running and hiding. I love Thea so much, and being back here, seeing what you and Oliver have, seeing how devastated he was when he thought he might lose it…it made me realize that you can’t waste time in life. I want a life with Thea and I’m going to figure out a way we can have it.”

She can’t help pulling him in for another hug at that. “Anything you need, anything at all, Oliver and I will do whatever it takes to help.”

As she steps back from him, her eyes are filled with tears of joy. She’s always loved Roy like a little brother, and she is so proud to see how determined he is to get this life she knows he deserves. It’s an honor that the love she and Oliver share helped convince him to fight for a love of his own.

A familiar arm wraps around her waist and she’s pulled up against a firm body as her husband appears out of nowhere. “Hey, you,” he says in that soft voice just for her, leaning down to kiss her temple. “Caitlin says you’re clear for me to take you home and she’ll come by sometime tomorrow to do another check-up. We’re supposed to call her if you start to feel any different than you do right now.”

Felicity’s shoulders sag in relief at the prospect of getting to go home, and she lets her body collapse further into Oliver, suddenly realizing how tired she still is. Looking up at his face, she can see he still needs rest too, and immediately makes it her mission to ensure they’re both able to fall into bed as soon as possible.

Her smile mirrors his and she leans up on her tiptoes, waiting for him to bend down and meet her halfway for a gentle kiss.

“Take me home, Oliver.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I'm sorry it took so long, but it felt so good to dive back into this story again (even if its already season 7 and this fic is possibly irrelevant). If you're back for more, thanks for staying with me, and if you're new, welcome!
> 
> As always, I love to hear your thoughts, good and bad, so drop me a comment if you have time!
> 
> I have the next chapter outlined and I'm working out some finishing touches, but I plan to get it posted before my break is over.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so happy with the response I received in the last chapter. Thanks so much to everyone who stayed with me on this story! This might be my last one for a couple of weeks, but Christmas break is coming up, and I'm hoping to get this story finished before the new year. 
> 
> This chapter is just a whole lot of fluff, so enjoy!

Lips caress Felicity’s face, gently coaxing her back to wakefulness. She feels the soft trail of fingertips ghosting over her cheek bones – examining her bruises – and immediately opens her eyes, still afraid this is all a dream.

It seems it is real after all. The handsome face staring down at her tells her that much.

“Hey, you,” he whispers, his voice still gruff from slumber.

“Hi,” she croaks back, her throat drier than she realized from hours of sleep.

He reaches across her for a moment, bringing a glass of water up to her swollen lips and she wonders momentarily where he managed to find a purple bendy straw (her favorite) on such short notice.

Once he’s satisfied she’s had enough to drink, he places the cup back where he got it and pulls her back into his embrace. She sighs as she snuggles in closer to him, so happy to be back in his arms.

“How are you feeling today?”

She thinks her answer through carefully, taking stock of her aching body, afraid to brush anything off for the sake of the baby. “I think…okay,” she finally settles on. “I mean, I’m pretty sore, but I’m not dizzy and I think –“

She stops suddenly, jaw dropping open and hand flying to her stomach as she stares at Oliver with wide eyes.

“Felicity? Felicity, what’s wrong? Is it the baby? Hang on, I’m calling Caitlin. Barry can get her here from the hotel in –“

Her free hand covers his mouth, stopping him mid-spiral. “Oliver, I think…I think I just felt her kick.”

“Really? Are you sure?!” She grabs his hand, bringing it down to place it low on her abdomen, right where hers had been. Watching his eyes carefully, she knows the moment he feels it. He jerks his head up, meeting her gaze, a look of astonished joy on his face. At the second flutter his eyes fill with tears matching the ones already spilling down her cheeks.

“That’s our little girl,” he breathes in amazement.

“Yeah. Yeah it is,” she chokes back, nodding somewhat maniacally. A laugh suddenly bursts forth from her chest and he echoes it, pulling her in for a soft kiss, ever conscious of her injuries.

“I love you.” The words are barely audible, nothing more than a puff of air against her lips.

“I love you _so much_.”

He smiles – that big, crinkly smile that turns her insides to goo – and for a moment they just stare into each other’s eyes.

Oliver finally breaks the silence. “I have a surprise for you today. If you’re up for it, that is.” He glances away from her almost nervously, instantly piquing her curiosity.

“What kind of surprise?”

He grins at that, his expression turning mischievous. “You’ll see,” he replies, punctuating the statement with a peck to her lips. “I’ll go get started on breakfast. Pancakes?”

“As usual. At this rate, our child is going to be born smelling like maple syrup.”

Her husband chuckles good-naturedly at her joke, heading out of the bedroom toward the kitchen. Just one time, she wishes her little one would make her crave Oliver’s delicious egg’s benedict, but just like every morning for the past month or so, all Felicity can think about is a big, fluffy pancake. She’s definitely ready to be back in charge of her own body again, but she still has a long way to go for that.

After breakfast, Felicity and Oliver take some time to cuddle on the couch and enjoy each other’s company. The past week has been hard on them both, and they have barely left each other’s side since Oliver found her in Diaz’s headquarters. Taking some time to reassure themselves that they are safe and together is good for both of them, and she is sure they will make an extra effort to spend time together in the coming days – something she is definitely not complaining about.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One leisurely shared shower later, the husband and wife pair pack their little family of almost four into the car and Oliver takes off toward the unknown – well, unknown to her at least. The drive is quick and before long Felicity recognizes a neighborhood near downtown. It’s an area she had noticed before, a place she often passes, as it’s near City Hall and William’s school.

She’d never paid much attention to it, but as they cruise through the quaint streets, the charm draws Felicity in. It’s near an original part of downtown, the houses obviously old and historic, but the streets are wide and quiet with children riding bikes and couples walking dogs. It immediately gives her a sense of home, and she can’t drag her eyes away from the window, so she doesn’t notice until the car stops moving that Oliver is pulling into a driveway at the end of the street.

The house they’ve stopped at is _gorgeous_. Large and brick, with a cozy vibe that she can’t help but want to go inside and experience for real. It sits back from the road, with huge windows and ivy and an old-fashioned wooden door that exudes safety and security.

She can feel Oliver’s eyes on her as she takes in the structure in front of them and when she glances his way, there is anxiety mingling with the expectant look in his eyes.

“I’m not sure I understand. It’s a beautiful house but…why are we here?”

Oliver clears his throat, obviously nervous, before turning more fully in his seat to face his wife and son. “The house…I –“ He huffs out a frustrated breath before trying again. “Our family is growing, and I thought…I want us to have a place that is ours. Not a loft downtown, or a rental in the suburbs – a home. A place where our kids grow up and we grow old together. I’d like the house to be ours, if you both approve.”

Felicity never would have dreamed that this was the surprise she would be receiving. She looks into the backseat at their son and sees that his face mirrors the shocked expression on hers.

“Oliver…” she breathes, unsure how to express everything she’s feeling.

“Dad, can we really move here?”

“I’d like to talk to Felicity about all this before I give you a final answer if that’s alright. Why don’t you go check it out and see what you think?”

“Okay!” The boy is out the door, racing for the backyard before Oliver even has a chance to ask him to be careful.

He gets out of the car, coming around and opening her door, leading her toward the front door. “Come on,” he whispers, understanding that she is still trying to process and take it all in. “Let me give you a tour.

The inside of the house turns out to be even better than the outside. It has a huge gourmet kitchen that she could tell by the look on Oliver’s face is everything he’s ever wanted in a kitchen. He also points out that the large island in the middle has seating around it so she can sit and watch him cook – one of her favorite hobbies.

There is a large living room, perfect for family movie nights and toy archery competitions. A sunny room off the kitchen is what Oliver deems to be her office.

“And through here,” he opens a door she hadn’t noticed before and starts down a staircase.

“It will take some work and we’ll probably have to call Cisco, but if you’re interested, I’d like to turn this into an alternative bunker. With two kids at home and our busy schedules, it would be nice if you could run comms in your pajamas or if I could practice shooting without driving across town, you know?”

“You really thought of everything, didn’t you?” she comments, going up on her toes to kiss his cheek.

“Come on, let me show you the upstairs.”

The upstairs has five bedrooms, which seemed like too many until she heard Oliver’s plan for filling them. “I thought this one would be good for William, and across the hall would be a perfect nursery for this little one,” he says, with an affectionate pat to her belly.

“That leaves two extras for if your mom comes to visit, or Thea and Roy, or…anything else we may want to fill them with.” He hesitates before adding the last part, and she has a passing thought that they haven’t discussed the possibility of more children in the future. That’s a discussion for another day, she thinks. Though now that he’s brought it up, she can’t say the idea doesn’t sound nice to her.

“Okay, last space. This would be our room. It’s close enough to the kids that we’d be there if they need us, but far enough away that they wouldn’t be able to…hear anything they shouldn’t hear.”

Felicity laughs out loud at that, her head falling to his shoulder as he chuckles along with her. “I like the way you think, Mr. Queen.”

The master bedroom has an incredible walk-in closet and the biggest soaking tub she has ever laid eyes on and immediately she pictures herself curling up in the warm water, her back pressed to Oliver’s chest.

He kisses her head softly, slipping his arms around her waist from behind as he leans in to speak softly in her ear. “It’s got your tub with room for two. I remember how much you liked the big tub when we were in Ivy Town.”

The sound of a door opening downstairs alerts them to the impending arrival of their son. “Dad!” His shout carries easily through the empty house. “This yard is perfect for playing catch!”

“That’s great, buddy! We’ll be down to see it in just a second!” Oliver yells back, unable to contain the smile on his face.

“He seems pleased,” Felicity comments.

“I may have mentioned to him a while back what he would be interested in if we ever moved. He said he didn’t want to share a room with the baby and he wanted a backyard where he and I could play catch. Turns out he wants to try out for the baseball team.” The mental image she paints in her mind of her boys laughing and playing catch in the backyard has tears springing to her eyes.

“ _Fe-li-ci-ty_ …if you aren’t comfortable with this, that’s okay. I know it’s a big step, but I really feel like we are ready for it. I was going to show you the house on the day of your last appointment, when we found out we have a little girl on the way, but when everything happened…I talked to the listing agent and convinced him to pull a few strings. The house is off the market to anyone but us until tomorrow.”

He pulls her in for a hug, pressing a kiss to her forehead before leaning back to look at her. “This is big, and I get that, but I want to make sure you understand that I am all in. I want this. I want this with _you_ and I want it forever. The minute I saw this place I could picture our family here and it just felt like home, _our home.”_

“Oliver, the house is perfect. Every room you took me to…I can see it. I can see you and William playing in the backyard and me helping him do his homework at the kitchen island. I can see a little girl running through the halls, and all of our friends and family sitting around the fireplace at the holidays. I can see our future here, but…are you sure? This is a big expense and I’m still in the very early stages of developing my company.”

He smiles easily at her, taking her hands in his. “Felicity, you have given me everything I’ve ever wanted in life and so much more. I never thought I deserved a life full of this much love and happiness. Let me give you this. I have enough money stashed from my old trust fun to make this happen for us. All you have to do is say the word.”

Tears start flowing down her face in earnest as this dream becomes a reality and she grabs his face pulling him down for hard kiss, ignoring the sting of her bruises as she revels in the feeling of just being loved - being _in love_. “Thank you so much. My life is better than I could have ever dreamed because of you. I love you.”

“I love you too,” he replies, leaning in for another kiss. “Welcome home, baby.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a picture of the house! (I'm obsessed with it)

 

 

<https://www.pinterest.com/pin/123215739776022707/>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: All of the dates and milestones I use for Felicity's pregnancy come straight off of google, so it's possible that she's not nearly far enough along for she and Oliver both to be able to feel the baby kick...sorry if that is the case.
> 
> Special note: I can only get a cropped version of the house photo to upload so I linked the Pinterest page I found it on in case anyone wants to see the whole thing.
> 
> As usual, I'd like to thank everyone for reading and ask that you drop me a comment if you have the time. I'd love to hear from you!


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays! I've just about finished this fic up and I'm hoping to get the last chapter and epilogue up before I head back to school next week. 
> 
> Enjoy!

In the five months since Felicity’s rescue, Oliver is happy to say that the most stressful event the Queen family had to go through was moving into their new house. In that time, they got settled, building Felicity’s second bunker in the basement, setting up a nursery for their soon to arrive little girl, and getting extensive use out of the giant tub in the master bedroom.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing. Both he and Felicity struggled for a time after she got back, both plagued with nightmares of losing each other and their kids. Oliver took an extended leave from work and took his wife and son on a much-needed vacation. It wasn't the honeymoon he promised Felicity, but they needed time away as family after the trauma they each experienced at Diaz’s hand and by the time they returned to their new house, the nightmares had vanished, and his family was closer than ever.

Felicity had her own battles to fight, continuing the process of building her company, and finally confronting the fallout with the team. In the end, she realized that she could empathize with Dinah. The two women became close again, Felicity wanting to do everything she could to help Dinah cope with the loss of Vince. She told Oliver that the weeks he was missing after his fight with Ra’s Al Ghul – the weeks she thought he had died – gave her a unique look on what it’s like to lose the person you love the most and she felt she owed it Dinah to help her in any way she could.

Things with Curtis didn’t go as well. Felicity found it more difficult to forgive Curtis. Dinah’s judgement was clouded by her love for Vince, something both Oliver and Felicity can relate to. Curtis, however, was Felicity’s closest friend, her business partner and his betrayal cut her deep. The final straw was using their technology to hurt Digg. She hasn’t been able to reconcile Curtis’s actions toward her friends and family with the man who was supposed to always be in her corner.

The way things were left between Felicity and her best friend is something Oliver has struggled with. He remembers so clearly the fight he had with Tommy before his death and he wishes more than anything that he could go back and fix things with his own best friend. He worries for his wife, and he doesn’t want her to have to live with the same regrets he does, but in the end, it is her decision and Oliver respects it.

 He’s glad she’s had the baby and the company to take her mind off of things with Curtis. And on top of gaining enough investors to have her company really up and running within the year, his incredible, ingenious wife came up with a plan to help Roy and Thea.

She called in a favor with Christopher Chance and with some well-thought out theatrics and fudging of public records, they were able to convince the public that Tommy Merlyn was the real Green Arrow, as well as every version since the hood showed up 6 years prior.

They broke Chance out of SCPD custody before he was transferred to Iron Heights, and then had Roy come forward and make a statement saying he took the fall for Merlyn all those years ago because he believed in his cause and faked his own death to go into hiding instead of prison.

Thea called in Jean Loring and she was able to convince a judge that Roy deserved to go free. Felicity moved into a new office space, and his little sister moved back into her loft with Roy in tow. He can’t remember the last time he saw his sister this happy, which is why, when Roy came to him early this morning to ask his permission to present Thea with a ring, Oliver didn’t hesitate to say yes.

“ _Oliver!_ ”

Felicity’s voice over the comms breaks him out of his thoughts.

“Yeah?”

“Are your comms working? I said your name five times.”

“They’re good. I’m sorry, I was just lost in my own head. I’m good, do you have anything for me?”

He hears her sigh in his ear and realizes she likely already gave him the intel once, but he was too caught up in his own thoughts to notice.

“It doesn’t look like there is anyone in the building tonight except the guards out front. With Arsenal’s assist, you should be able to get in, place the bug, and get out with no problems.”

“Copy that.”

He is grateful for an easy op. The city has been relatively quiet, but they’ve been tracking a crime lord for the past couple of months who swooped in and grabbed all of Diaz’s clientele the moment news of his death was released. If he can get Felicity’s bug in place, they hope to get a list of everyone on his payroll so that they can finally rid the city of corruption.

The problem is, Felicity has to be on site to decrypt the software. Oliver didn’t want his 9-month pregnant wife anywhere near the field, but she was able to convince him that it was a necessary evil. He only agreed if she promised to stay in the van with ample protection.

Thea has remained adamant about not falling back into the vigilante lifestyle, but she always makes exceptions when her family is at risk. Tonight, she and Digg are in the van keeping watch over Overwatch, while Oliver and Roy take care of getting the sniffer in place. Still, Oliver needs this over as soon as possible. Worry for his girls is taking over everything else.

He and Roy make their way to the entrance, taking out a few patrolling guards on their way. Getting inside the building doesn’t give the vigilantes any trouble and once inside, Felicity is ready to guide them.

“Overwatch, where are we going?”

“Southeast corner, last office. That’s where I’ve traced Simmons’s computer to.”

“Got it, on our – Arsenal, stop!”

“Is everything okay?”

Oliver grabs Roy just in time. There appears to be some kind of sensor on the wall and he’s afraid to think of what could have happened if Roy tripped it.

“Green Arrow, what’s going on?!” He can hear the slight edge of hysteria in her voice, and knows she’s just as nervous about having both of them in the field.

“We’re good…For now. Overwatch, did you do a bomb sweep?”

“Oh! I…Oliver, I’m so sorry,” she rushes to explain, so flustered she forgets to use his code name. “I can’t believe I forgot. I was so nervous about us being in the field this late in the pregnancy that I couldn’t even keep you safe.”

“Hey, hey don’t worry about it. Everyone is safe. There’s a motion sensor on the wall between us and the rest of the building. Can you look into it?”

“Oliver, I’m so—”

“ _Overwatch_.” He emphasizes her codename, wanting to use her real name, but too concerned for her safety to do so. “You don’t need to be sorry, okay? Everyone is okay. You didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t worry. Can you do that for me?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I can. Thank you,” she replies softly, and he realizes she switched over so only the two of them were on the line. She takes a deep breath, and he smiles to himself that he was able to calm her down. He understands why she’s on edge – he is too – but he doesn’t want her stressed over what should be an easy op.

“Okay, I’m checking the whole compound. It looks like the sensor will set off a security system. I should be able to disable it though. Just give me one minute…okay got it! You guys should be good to keep moving. Be safe.”

“Always,” he replies, just before she turns the other comm lines back on.

“Overwatch, we’re in the back office, but it’s empty. There’s no computer,” Roy says as Oliver continues searching the room.

“There has to be. That exactly where my trace says it is. Wait…you guys aren’t in the southeast corner yet. You’re not far enough back.”

“This is the last office, unless…” He trails off, moving so he knock on the back wall and look for any possible hollow spots. “Got it. False wall,” he informs her, moving into the hidden back office.

He pulls the sniffer Felicity designed out of a pocket on his jacket and plugs it into the computer. “Bug is in place, time to work your magic Overwatch.”

“Already on it. I’ll have to go through the decryption and get the virus running and it should take care of the rest. All you have to do is wait for my signal to come back. The device _has_ to make it out. I can’t get the names off of it unless I get it to the bunker.”

“Copy that. Keep us updated.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After an hour, Oliver is starting to get anxious. He wants Felicity as far away as possible from danger. “Sit rep? How much longer do we have?”

“I’m working as fast as I can. The encryption was harder to crack than I expected. I did my best to get the virus working as fast as possible, but now we just have to wait until it’s done. Hopefully only twenty minutes or so…could be longer.”

“Ollie,” Thea interrupts, “Surveillance is picking up someone incoming on the radar. I think we can all agree we want to keep whoever it is as far away from our baby mama as possible so I’m going to head them off before they get too close.”

“Thanks, Speedy.”

Not long after Thea leaves the van, her voice sounds in everyone’s ears as she grunts in pain.

“Thea!” Roy shouts, his concern evident in his tone. “What’s happening?’

“Turns out, I’m a little out of practice,” she jokes. “Not gonna lie though, I could really go for some backup.”

“Digg will be right there,” Felicity assures her, but Oliver is not so quick to leave his wife unprotected. “We can’t leave Overwatch. I’ll send Arsenal.”

“No.” His wife’s voice leaves no room for argument. “It will take too long for him to get to her. The whole point of her being out there is to keep everyone far away from me. It makes more sense for Digg to go. Hang in there, Speedy. Spartan in en route.”

Oliver is pacing the small office – much to Roy’s displeasure – when Felicity’s voice appears in his ear once again. “I think another fifteen minutes should do the trick, and then we can get out of here. I am so ready to go home.”

Just as Oliver opens his mouth to reply, he hears his wife gasp over the comms before she cries out in pain. “Overwatch?” No reply has Oliver’s heart almost beating out of his chest.

“Felicity! Are you okay?” When he is again met with silence, Oliver turns to his partner. “Stay with the sniffer. We have to get those names. I’m going to find her.” And with that, he is sprinting toward the exit – his wife and child the only thing on his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to once again thank everyone for their patience as I try to finish this story. As I said before the chapter, I'm planning on one more chapter and then an epilogue to wrap this one up. However, i'm not so sure I'm quite done with this universe I've created. If anyone thinks they would be interested to read some one-shots related to this story line, let me know in the comments! I'd be open to accepting prompts as well.
> 
> As always, thanks for reading. Drop me a comment to let me know what you thought!


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is going to be the last chapter of this fic! Look out for an epilogue in the next couple of days. Thanks so much for reading.
> 
> Enjoy!

Despite the speed with which he reaches the exit of the building, Oliver is beside himself with panic when he reaches the van. There doesn’t seem to be any sign of a struggle when he arrives, yet he wrenches the back door of the van open with nearly enough strength to rip it off of the vehicle.

His eyes immediately land on his wife where she is hunched sideways in her chair, a hand gripping her stomach. “Felicity!” he climbs into the back, crowding her, his arms flailing about, unsure what to do.

“What happened? Are you hurt? Is it the baby?”

She’s breathing heavy and his panic rises exponentially with the fear of what might be happening to her, what could have been done to her. His mind swarms with images out of his worst nightmares and he can hear the wobble in his own voice as he pleads with her. “Talk to me, Felicity. Please. Did someone hurt you?”

She groans, whatever pain she's in seeming to momentarily subside, and finally meets his eyes as his shaking hands cups her face. “I think…well, actually I don’t think. I _know_ that I’m…in labor. My water broke, Oliver.”

“You’re—but how? You’re not due until next week. I don’t…labor? Now?” he sputters, his mind and heart both racing.

“Surprise?” She gives him the adorable pout paired with her signature head tilt that she always gives when she wants to get her way, or when she thinks he’s on the verge of some type of freak-out.

A moment of pure excitement washes over him as he realizes their baby is coming today, a smile creeping onto his face, but it’s soon replaced with his previous fear when he remembers where they are.

“Felicity, we have to get to Central City right now.”

They’d planned to have the baby in Central City because so much of Star City was still under the influence of criminals. Until they get the list of names they are currently trying to retrieve, anyone could be a threat and neither of them was willing to risk Felicity or the baby’s life. A hospital in a safer city with a doctor they know they can trust was something they both agreed was nonnegotiable and Caitlin agreed to do the delivery.

“Well, you see…we can’t go to Central City just yet. We have to let the sniffer finish.”

She says the words with an air of nonchalance, as if it makes perfect sense for them to continue their current vigilante mission despite the fact that she’s about to give birth to their child.

“Felicity, this baby is coming now. We can’t waste any more time," he reminds her, a hint of exasperation slipping into his voice and mingling with the nervousness he knows she can hear.

“Oliver,” she sighs, reaching up to run her fingers over his cheek. “I know you’re scared, and you’re worried about me and the baby – I am too – but we have been tracking this guy for months. If we don’t get the list tonight, we may not get another chance and that’s too big of a risk to take. I want both of our kids to live in a place where they are safe, where we can trust police officers and doctors and city officials to have their best interests at heart. I don’t want to bring a child into a dangerous world when I know I have the ability to make it safer. We have to do this. For our kids and every other kid in this city.”

“I get where you’re coming from, and normally I would agree one hundred percent. It’s why I let you convince me to bring you in the field tonight – I know how important this is. But honey, our baby is ready to be born _right now_ , and no matter how important our mission is to me, your life and her life are my top priority tonight.”

She sighs again and he can see in her eyes that she expected this from him, already prepared with a counter argument.

“Oliver, I agree. I want nothing more than for this baby to be safe, but I'll be in labor for hours. We can spare a few more minutes for the good of the people in this city.”

He knows she’s right, but right now the only thing he can think of is the immediate safety of his little girl. “I know you’re right.” She smiles, her shoulders relaxing as he agrees. “I just want both of you to be safe. I’m going to call Barry and see if he can get Caitlin here to monitor you while you work. Then he can run us back to Central City as soon as you finish.”

Felicity gets back to work as fast as she can and by the time Oliver finishes placing his call to Barry he is pacing outside the van, overrun with concern for his girls.

“Can I get a sit rep?” comes Roy’s voice over the comms and Oliver realizes that’s he’d been so wrapped up in Felicity, he forgot to check on the rest of the team.

“We just finished tying things up over here. And yes, that pun was definitely intended,” Thea replies, Digg’s sigh of exasperation just audible in the background.

“Green Arrow, is Overwatch okay?”

“Sorry everyone, I got a little distracted. It seems my child did not inherit my inherent ability to be late for absolutely everything…Overwatch’s water broke. We’re having a baby. Tonight.”

The subsequent scream of delight from his little sister has Oliver actually ripping his earpiece out of his ear and out of the corner of his eye he sees Felicity jerk back from the computer speaker in the van. Still, he can’t help but grin, his excitement overpowering his worry for a brief moment.

“Arsenal, sit tight. I’m finishing up with the sniffer now. I’ll let you know when you’re go for extraction.”

“Copy that and congratulations.”

Thea and Digg appear out of the bushes at that moment, the former throwing herself into her brother’s arms the moment she sees him. He hugs her back as she whispers her congrats before pulling back and smacking him hard on the bicep.

“Why are you not on the way to Central City?! My niece is on the way and I am not about to let you guys bring her into the world in the back of this dirty old van.”

He opens his mouth to reply, but Felicity answers first, forever stepping in to save his ass, even if it’s just from his baby sister. “That’s all me. I refused to leave until we get the names. Oliver called Barry and he and Caitlin should be here pretty soon. I think it takes him about half an hour to get here from Central City if he has to carry—”

She breaks off, doubling over in pain as another contraction hits her. Oliver rushes to her side, helping her breathe though it, holding her hand.

“They are getting closer together. How much more time on the sniffer?’

“Hopefully any minute now. The names are downloading as we speak.”

At that moment there is a streak of lightning as Barry and Caitlin appear. The doctor immediately springs into action, rushing to Felicity's side.

“I’m going to ask everyone but Oliver and Felicity to please step away from the van.” Oliver follows her inside and shuts the door, giving them some much needed privacy.

“Felicity, I’d going to lift up your skirt and see how things are progressing okay? Better to just go ahead and see what we're dealing with.”

She nods reaching out for Oliver’s hand and he’s already there, grasping it tightly as she settles back in her chair allowing Caitlin the room she needs.

After a moment, Caitlin looks up at her patient, a puzzled expression on her face. “Felicity, when exactly did your water break?”

At the confusion in Caitlin’s voice, Oliver looks down as his wife, noting her guilty expression.

“Um…well, you see…it happened on the trip out here, so I’d say...a couple of hours ago?” She won’t meet his eyes and though he doesn’t want to upset her right now he can’t help his reaction.

“Two hours?! Felicity, you knew this baby was coming _tonight_ before we ever started this op and you let me go out in the field?! You let me take _both of you_ out in the field? What were you thinking?” His voice rises as the words tumble out and by the end of his rant, he is yelling at her. He turns away, trying to regain control of his temper.

“Oliver, I told you, we needed these names. This was important—”

“More important than _your life_? Than _our baby’s life_? I don’t think so, Felicity. You should have told me. I should have at least gotten a say...I should have known.” He’s not yelling anymore, but the disappointment is clear in his voice and he still isn't facing her.

“I’m sorry,” she chokes out and at the sound of her voice cracking he turns back and finds her crying. “I didn’t think…I’d never intentionally try to put our daughter in danger Oliver, I— It was more or less a recon op and I didn’t think we’d be in any danger. It was supposed to be quick. Then everything took longer than I anticipated and there were security alarms and backup guards and…I’m so sorry.”

Oliver’s heart breaks for her and he knows now is not the time for this kind of argument. She's stressed and in pain and all he wants is for her to be as comfortable as possible to give birth. What’s done is done. They’ll have to discuss how they want to make important parenting decisions later but right now he needs to make sure his little girl arrives safely. He glances around the van and notices Caitlin has stepped outside to give them some privacy, so he crouches down, getting his face level with hers.

Reaching up, Oliver pries small hands away from wet cheeks and red eyes, gently cupping his wife’s face. “Don’t cry, baby. I know you’d never do anything you thought would put either of our kids in danger. I’m sorry I yelled at you, I just…I wish you would have told me. But none of that matters right now. We need to get both of you taken care of, okay?”

She nods, and he wipes the last of her tears away, leaning in to brush his lips gently over her forehead. “We’re having a baby,” he whispers, and when he pulls back, she is smiling at him again, all signs of her sadness washed away at the thought of finally getting to meet their little girl.

A knock on the van door brings them back to present as Caitlin enters the vehicle again, a somber expression on her face. “I’ve been talking to Barry. Based on your level of dilation, it seems you’ve been blessed with having a rather short labor, Felicity. That’s normally good but based on how soon I expect this baby to arrive and the time it would take Barry to run back and forth between Central City and here, I don’t see any way he can get all three of us there in time. I know you don’t trust the hospital here in Star City but there are plenty of capable doctors in Central City. If we hurry, I think Barry can get both of you there in time for someone else to do the delivery. I can be there soon after to check on you.”

“No.”

Felicity’s voice is quiet but firm. “We have been through so much to get to this point. There were dozens of times I thought this day would never come. I need someone I trust to deliver my baby. After everything we’ve been through, I can’t do this with a stranger.”

Caitlin seems touched by his wife’s words, but unsure how to respond considering she just explained that that was not a plausible option. Oliver sighs, realizing what he has to do, what he’ll have to sacrifice to make sure Felicity and the baby are both taken care of.

“Barry can take both of you. Felicity first and then Caitlin.” He pauses looking down at Felicity’s wide blue eyes and takes her hands in his, giving them a quick squeeze. “You’ll go with Caitlin and make sure our baby gets here safe and sound. I’ll be right behind you. I’m sorry I won’t be able to be there for the birth, I…I’d give anything to be therewith you, but what’s most important is that you’re both safe.”

“Oliver Queen, don’t you even suggest that I would have this baby without you there." Her words are fierce, but he can see the fear in her eyes. "We are a team – partners – and after everything we’ve been through, after all you did to save us both from Diaz, after you almost died on me before you even knew we were pregnant…There’s no way I could do this without you. I can’t. I won’t.”

“Baby,” he sighs, about to try to convince her but she gives him a look and he knows it’s no use, the fear is her eyes convincing him. She needs him there with her to make her feel safe and loved and secure and he'll be damned if he can't give her that.

“If I may...” Oliver had almost forgotten that Caitlin was here with them. “I know the bunker has a great medical set up and it’s close. We could send Barry to… _borrow_ the rest of the supplies I’d need from the hospital and we can do the delivery there. We’d be able to get there in time to prepare and we wouldn’t have to send a woman in labor across the country at Mach one, which is honestly something I wasn’t all that comfortable to begin with.”

Glancing at his wife, Oliver can tell Felicity likes the idea but her blue gaze meets his, silently asking what he thinks.

“I guess it’s only fitting. Our child, born in a bunker surrounded by endless tech and arrows.”

Her face lights up in a grin, but just as she starts to reply, the computer beeps, alerting them that the sniffer is officially done uploading the names and ready to be extracted.

“Well, no more stalling. Ready or not, it’s time to have a baby.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue coming soon and keep an eye out for some related one-shots!  
> I'm really interesting in taking prompts for this verse. I don't really post on my tumblr, but I'm linking it [here](http://shesimperfect-butshetries.tumblr.com/) as a way to submit prompts/requests for anything you might like to see related to the future of this fic.
> 
> I'm so behind on replying to comments that I'm not sure I'll ever catch up, but please know that I read and deeply appreciate every single one.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks as always for reading!


	34. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! I started writing this story at the beginning of 2018, and I am so pleased and proud to be posting the final chapter. I had never written anything before so it really took me out of my comfort zone. Nearly one year later, I am overwhelmed with the response this story received. To each and every person who read even one chapter, thank you so much for allowing me to have such a wonderful experience with writing. And to those who took the time out of their life to leave me words of encouragement, thank you for giving me the confidence to do something that brought me so much joy. I have enjoyed this story so so much, and am very sorry to see it end, yet happy at the same time. I hope you enjoy this short epilogue.

Despite the initial drama, once they arrived at the bunker Felicity’s labor was relatively uneventful. Her husband, her rock, stood by her side the entire time whispering words of encouragement, holding her hand. And when she pushed for the last time, her shout of pain gave way to the wail of a newborn baby.

There has never been a more beautiful sound.

The pride and joy on Oliver’s face is what Felicity will remember from this day rather than the pain or fear, because when he hears that cry for the first time, he looks away from Felicity, his eyes immediately finding their daughter as his tears spill over and a relieved laugh slips from his throat.

He comes back to her after he cuts the cord as they take a moment to clean the baby up and his eyes are still filled with tears.

Her heart warms as he lays a kiss to her hair before pressing his forehead to hers. “You did so good, baby.” His voice is a whisper, thick with emotion. “I am so proud of you. Wait until you see her, Felicity. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

When Caitlin finally places the squirming, screaming little human on her chest, Felicity is certain her heart is going to burst from the sheer amount of love she feels swelling inside her chest. At the feel of her mother’s skin the little girl immediately calms down, her yells becoming whimpers and she snuggles into Felicity’s sweaty skin.

She places a kiss on the baby’s tiny head and it’s then that tears start, suddenly rushing uncontrollably as pure, unadulterated joy overcomes her. She feels Oliver’s hand on her shoulder and she looks up to see that happiness mirrored in his eyes, and she’s overwhelmed once again, this time by the amount of love she feels for this man, who loves her so much in return, and she knows he loves their daughter just as much.

“Oliver.” Her whisper is only his name, but it conveys everything she wants to say in that moment.

“I know,” he replies softly, and she can’t help but tilt her chin up kiss him.

The baby makes a grunting noise and Felicity glances back down to find her rooting around, her perfect little mouth opening and shutting in search of something to eat. Instinct takes over as she guides her down to her breast, and she gasps when she latches on and begins to drink.

She watches her, unable to tear her eyes away until she feels her husband’s lips against her temple again. Turning to him, she puts a free hand to his cheek as she whispers a quiet, “Thank you,” against his lips.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours after delivery, Felicity is sore and tired, but happier than she has been in her entire life. A perk of giving birth in bunker is the presence of this king-sized bed where she is currently sitting, wrapped snugly in her husband’s arms, cradling their beautiful daughter to her chest.

“I’ve been thinking about a name,” she whispers, not wanting to disturb her snoozing child.

“Me too,” Oliver replies. “You first.”

“My great-grandmother…her name was Lucille. I always thought it was a pretty name, but when I did some research, I discovered that it means light and I just thought…I went through some difficult times during this pregnancy – we both did – but no matter how dark things got, she was able to remind me that there was still light. When Diaz had me…I kept fighting because of her. I knew I had to keep her safe, not just because I’m her mother and I love her, but so I could meet her, so you could meet her, so we could raise her together.”

The smile on his face is almost knowing, and she’s about to ask about it when he explains. “It’s funny, the name I liked is for almost the same reason. When you were missing…there were moments when I felt myself slipping so far back, back to the man I was on the island. You’ve always been my light and without you there, the darkness threatened to pull me under but I couldn’t give up on you and I couldn’t let her down. When I was at my worst, she gave me hope…”

He trails off, smiling as he gently runs his finger over her soft, pink cheek.

“You know, looking at her right now, I can’t think of a more fitting name than Lucille Hope Queen.” She can’t help but smile as she says it, loving the way it rolls off her tongue and knowing without a doubt that it’s the perfect name for their daughter.

“What do you think?’

He pretends to think it over, but she can tell by the way he can’t take his eyes off of the little girl that he knows it’s perfect.

“Lucille Hope Queen,” he tries the name out himself, a small smile turning up the corners of his mouth. “I think it’s perfect…on one condition.”

She raises her eyebrow at him in question and he grins in full, his dimples popping out. “I’m going to call her Lucy.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and supporting this story! As I mentioned in a previous chapter, I am considering turning this into a collection with some related one-shots that follow Oliver, Felicity, and their kiddos in this universe. Let me know in the comments if that's something you'd be interested in reading! (I have a couple already outlined, because sometimes my brain forces me to write whatever it wants) 
> 
> If I do add on to this fic, I'd love to try accepting prompts and I'm linking my tumblr [here](http://shesimperfect-butshetries.tumblr.com/) for anyone who would be interested in inspiring me with a submission. (Don't be shy!) 
> 
> If even one person enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it, it was worth it. Thanks again to everyone who reads!


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